World Environment Day (June 5) is a global call to action for protecting our planet, and one impactful way to participate is by shopping secondhand. Check out the best U.S. cities for thrifting just in time for this global holiday inside.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American tosses out 103 pounds of textiles annually and only 15 percent of it being recycled or reused. Buying pre-loved clothing is a simple yet powerful alternative.
In honor of World Environment Day, sustainable fashion provider NovaTomato has revealed the best cities in the U.S. for thrifting. They offered eco-conscious shoppers a roadmap to responsible retail therapy. Their study ranked 84 cities with populations over 250,000, analyzing highly rated charity and thrift stores, plus search interest in sustainable fashion.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania tops the list with an index score of 67.89. The Steel City boasts 8.25 highly rated charity shops and a staggering 24.76 thrift stores per 100,000 residents, all rated 4.5 stars or higher. With over 7,000 monthly Google searches for sustainable fashion terms per 100,000 people, Pittsburgh’s dedication to conscious shopping stands out.
Coming in second is St. Louis, Missouri (66.56), with an impressive 11.86 charity shops and 16.05 thrift stores per 100,000 residents. Even more impressive? The city racks up nearly 9,000 monthly searches for eco-friendly fashion.
Rounding out the top three is New Orleans, Louisiana (65.32), where charm and sustainability meet. The city is home to 7.30 charity stores and 11.36 thrift shops per capita, with residents actively searching for ethical fashion options online.
Other standout cities include Lubbock, Texas, and Denver, Colorado, with notable concentrations of high-rated resale spots and strong online interest in sustainability. Florida takes the crown as the best thrifting state, with three cities—St. Petersburg, Miami, and Tampa—landing in the top 10. Ohio follows with both Cleveland and Cincinnati making the list.
“Thrift and charity stores play a big part in promoting sustainable fashion,” said Lyn Bai, CEO of NovaTomato. “They reduce waste, extend the life cycle of clothing, and provide an affordable, ethical alternative to fast fashion.”
This World Environment Day, consider skipping the mall and hitting up your local thrift store instead. Your wardrobe and the planet will thank you.
Check out the full list below:
| Rank | City | State | Index score (/100) |
| 1 | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | 67.89 |
| 2 | St. Louis | Missouri | 66.56 |
| 3 | New Orleans | Louisiana | 65.32 |
| 4 | Lubbock | Texas | 65.26 |
| 5 | Denver | Colorado | 63.94 |
| 6 | St. Petersburg | Florida | 63.02 |
| 7 | Miami | Florida | 62.78 |
| 8 | Cleveland | Ohio | 59.61 |
| 9 | Cincinnati | Ohio | 59.32 |
| 10 | Tampa | Florida | 57.83 |
