Here Are the Best US Cities for Garage Sale Shoppers

With summer here, it’s a great time to explore everything your city has to offer: museums, water parks, street festivals, botanical gardens, antique stores, and your local garage sales. 

Although you can find great garage sales no matter where you live, some cities take these events to a whole new level. We decided to go on the hunt for the places that are a must-visit if you have a passion for finding hidden gems at garage sales.

How We Got Our Data

To find our data, we looked at the 50 largest cities in the U.S. and found the number of garage sales in a weekend (June 15 to June 19) per capita using the GSALR tool. We also looked at the average annual temperature and the average number of clear days in each city—because no one likes to hunt for deals in the rain and cold. 

Finally, to determine our ranking, we weighted each category differently and got our best cities for garage sale shoppers. The number of garage sales in a weekend per capita was our highest metric, the number of clear days second highest, and then the average annual temperature.

Cleveland is #1 

Cleveland is the 34th largest city in the U.S., but with 161 garage sales over one summer weekend, you can guarantee you will find some really cool pieces at each one. Although it’s not the sunniest city, 66 clear days every year isn’t bad, especially with an average temperature of 52.5 degrees Fahrenheit. While we can’t speak to the offerings at each sale in this Ohio city, here’s hoping you go home with the coolest dish set, gorgeous vintage picture frames, and a retro table.

The Top 10 Cities Are a Mixed Bag

One of the special parts of garage sales is finding beautiful vintage items that they don’t sell in stores anymore, and luckily, you can find great chances to do so all across the country.

Milwaukee comes in as the #2 best city for garage sales, as you can find about 111 garage sales in a weekend, an average annual temperature of 49 degrees and 90 clear days a year. In fact, the average yard size in Wisconsin is 28,331 square feet, which means more yard space for yard sales, too. For size reference, the average residential lawn size is 10,871 square feet, or roughly a quarter of an acre.

The top five cities on our list have one thing in common—they have a population of less than 3,000,000 while still having a fairly high number of garage sales. One cool thing about going thrift shopping or garage sale shopping in these smaller cities is that you can find some hidden gems ‌you may not ‌find in larger cities.

Although Las Vegas had a lower number of garage sales, it ranked #7 on our list because of its warm annual average temperature and its high number of clear days. Another cool thing about Las Vegas—there are a lot of great antique stores. So if you have a love for all things vintage, Vegas could be a great shopping destination for you. 

Larger Cities Tend to be in the Bottom 10

With a population of over 4,000,000, only 19 garage sales on the weekend we look at, and many rainy and dark days, Seattle takes the cake for the worst city in the U.S. for garage sale shoppers. Although its average annual temperature is 53.5 degrees, Seattle only has 58 clear days per year. That many rainy days means garage and yard sales are harder to make happen. But hey, that may mean less competition for great deals! 

You may think a large city like New York City would have some amazing garage sales, but in reality, the massive population in New York actually puts the Big Apple at a disadvantage. If you live in New York, you’re sure to find some sales, but you may also consider going outside the city to find garage sales that aren’t picked through. Travel to Providence, RI, or Baltimore if you want to find some special pieces for your home.

Tips for Shopping and Setting Up Garage Sales Yourself

If you want to save money and also make your home look unique, then look no further than garage sales. And if you’re inspired to host your own garage sale, check out our garage sale pricing guide to make sure you get a fair price—and lots of sales.

If you’re not sure what to look for at garage sales or what items of yours could be ripe for the taking, here are a few common garage sale items that might inspire you:

1. Picture frames

2. Artwork

3. Wicker baskets

4. Recipe books

5. Mason jars

6. Toys for your kids

7. Exercise equipment

8. Specialty appliances 

9. Sterling silver cutlery

10. Books (cookbooks, novels, etc.)

11. Pottery

12. Records

13. Tools

14. Carpets

15. Furniture