• New data has revealed the best cities in the US for bargain shopping, with New Orleans, Louisiana, taking the top spot.
• Orlando, Florida, was identified as being the second-best city for shopping on a budget, with Columbus, Georgia, following in third.
• The research analyzed the number of different types of affordable stores in each city and ranked them according to an overall score. 

With a potential recession looming and many Americans cutting back on costs due to rocky finances, you may be wondering which cities in the US are the best for budget shopping and finding great deals. 

That’s why coupon site and savings experts BravoDeal.com investigated the best cities for bargain shopping in America. The research looked at the number of vintage and thrift stores, pawn shops, discount stores, flea markets, used car dealerships, outlet stores and wholesale stores in cities with over 200,000 people. 

For each category, a score out of 10 was assigned based on how many stores there are proportionate to the population in the city. Then, an overall score out of 100 was calculated to determine the ranking. 

The top 10 cities in the US for bargain shopping 

Rank	City	State	Index rating /100
1.	New Orleans	Louisiana	82.01
2.	Orlando	Florida	79.95
3.	Columbus	Georgia	63.05
4.	Oklahoma City	Oklahoma	61.46
5.	Glendale	Arizona	60.68
6.	Anaheim	California	60.46
7.	Mesa	Arizona	60.28
8.	Hialeah	Florida	59.79
9.	Denver	Colorado	59.68
10.	Tampa	Florida	59.05

New Orleans, Louisiana, was revealed as the best city for bargain shopping, with an overall index score of 82.02 out of 100. NOLA had the highest number of vintage and thrift stores and discount stores of every city, with 50.26 and 50.64 per 100,000 people, respectively. It also ranked third in flea markets, with 7.96 per 100,000 people. 

Following in second place was Orlando, Florida, which generated an index score of 79.95 out of 100. It had the second highest number of many different types of stores, including discount stores, with 31.90 per 100,000 people, pawn shops, with 10.91 per 100,000 people, used car dealerships, with 74.20 per 100,000 people, and outlet stores, with 9.04 per 100,000 people. 

In third was Columbus, Georgia, with an index score of 63.05 out of 100. The smallest city in the top 10 ranked highly in the flea markets category, boasting the most of any city with 11.39 per 100,000 people. It also had the fifth most vintage and thrift stores, with 34.18 per 100,000 people, and the fifth highest number of used car dealerships, with 55.48 per 100,000 people. 

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, ranked fourth, generating an index score of 61.46 out of 100. Oklahoma’s capital had 28.03 discount stores per 100,000 people, ranking sixth in this category. It also had the seventh highest number of pawn shops, with 7.40 per 100,000 people. 

Rounding out the top five was Glendale, Arizona, with an index score of 60.68 out of 100. Notably, Glendale had the most pawn shops of any city, with 11.03 per 100,000 people. As well as this, it ranked fourth for outlet stores, with 7.88 per 100,000 people, and seventh for discount stores, with 27.97 per 100,000 people. 

In sixth place was Anaheim, California, with an index score of 60.46 out of 100. The home to Disneyland Resort boasted the most wholesale stores, with 12.63 per 100,000 people. Additionally, it had the seventh most vintage and thrift stores of any city, with 33.77 per 100,000 people. 

Ranking seventh was Mesa, Arizona, which generated an index score of 60.28 out of 100. The city had the third most vintage and thrift stores, with 35.96 per 100,000, and the fourth most pawn shops, with 8.01 per 100,000 people. 

Hialeah, Florida, followed in eighth, generating an index score of 59.79 out of 100. Hialeah reported the most used car dealerships, with a significant 82.24 per 100,000 people. It also had the third highest number of wholesale stores with 9.49 per 100,000 people. 

Taking the ninth spot was Denver, Colorado, with an overall index score of 59.68 out of 100. The capital of Colorado reported the fourth highest number of vintage and thrift stores, with 34.47 per 100,000 people, and the seventh highest number of wholesale stores, with 7.12 per 100,000 people. 

Completing the top 10 was Tampa, Florida, with an index score of 59.05 out of 100. It ranked third in both the pawn shop and used car dealership categories, with 8.18 per 100,000 people and 66.19 per 100,000 people, respectively. 

Commenting on the findings, Marco Farnararo, CEO and Co-Founder at Bravo Savings Network said, 

“It is fascinating to see which cities are the best for bargain shopping according to their number of affordable shopping options. Some cities, such as New Orleans, are hotspots for vintage shopping, whereas others, such as Orlando, are ideal for snatching up bargains in discount and outlet stores. Furthermore, while pawn shops and flea markets may not be the most obvious places to look when hunting down new items, they can often provide unique finds at a fraction of the cost you’d pay elsewhere. 

“The ranking is dominated by Southern states, taking up seven of the top 10 spots, and the remainder being occupied by states in the West. This could imply that there is a culture of budgeting and saving money in these regions more than in areas such as the Midwest or the Northeast. It could also indicate that these regions are cheaper for residents to live in due to access to affordable shopping options. 

“If you’re looking to cut down your spending and save money, there are plenty of avenues through which you can do this. If you prefer shopping in person, visiting these kinds of establishments will ensure that you’re likely to get the best prices. Shopping online is also an option, as you can source coupons, discount codes or other deals to apply to your orders. It’s always worth researching to see what’s available before completing any order, as some stores always have online discount codes available, and these could help you save 10%, 20% or even more from the final cost of your purchase. Others have them periodically, and you may be eligible throughout the year due to being a student or recipient of another continuous discount that they offer. 

“Of course, one of the best ways to save money is thrifting, both online and at vintage stores. Shopping second hand can be useful when sticking to a stricter budget, especially when buying clothing, home furnishings, books or similar items. It has other benefits too, such as encouraging the repurposing of goods instead of creating waste, which is beneficial to the environment.  

“Ultimately, saving money when shopping can help you reduce expenses significantly, allowing you to allocate funds elsewhere. When in doubt, be sure to fully research all potential options before shopping so that you can make the most of your money.”