2022’s Best Cities for Farmers Markets in Winter Months

Staff Report

Thursday, January 6th, 2022

Winter can freeze farmers markets — from operating, that is — as the days get shorter in some parts of the country. Fortunately, many stay open so patrons can keep buying locally grown produce and unique goods all season long.

So, which cities offer the best access to farmers markets between November and March?

Lawn Love compared 101 of the biggest U.S. cities to rank 2022’s Best Cities for Farmers Markets in Winter Months, separated by warm and cold climates.

We looked for walkable cities with good weather and, of course, plenty of winter markets to visit throughout the season.

Check out the 10 best cold cities and best warm cities for farmers markets in winter months below, followed by surprising findings from our report.

 

2022’s Best Cold Cities

Rank

City

1

New York, NY

2

Portland, OR

3

Philadelphia, PA

4

Washington, DC

5

Chicago, IL

6

Providence, RI

7

Omaha, NE

8

Louisville, KY

9

Jersey City, NJ

10

Seattle, WA

 

2022’s Best Warm Cities

Rank

City

1

Los Angeles, CA

2

Honolulu, HI

3

Miami, FL

4

Houston, TX

5

San Diego, CA

6

San Antonio, TX

7

San Francisco, CA

8

Atlanta, GA

9

Oakland, CA

10

Hollywood, FL

Surprising findings:

  • Freezing festivities: A chill in the air won’t stop residents in cold cities from braving the weather to support their local farmers markets. 

    New York takes the top spot in our cold cities ranking. In the Big Apple, there are plenty of winter markets to walk to, giving New Yorkers a chance to make the big city feel small by connecting with farmers, artisans, and other members of their community.

    Following close behind is Portland, Oregon (No. 2), a city with vibrant communities, a commitment to sustainability, and award-winning artisanal goods like beer. Philadelphia (No. 3) is even more walkable and has been loving its local farmers and artisans for more than a century

  • Trendy and tropical tastes: Cities with tropical climates have a big advantage when it comes to fresh produce: Their growing season never ends. 

    Sunny Los Angeles (No. 1) tops our warm cities ranking. The city boasts plenty of markets with unique stalls selling items like thrifted clothes, vintage records, and used books

    Honolulu (No. 2) offers markets with fresh fruit you won’t find in most other city markets, such as guava, breadfruit, and longan. Almost 5,000 miles away, Miami takes third place, with local farmers selling fresh vegetables in the sun all winter long. 

  • Walking in a winter wonderland: Pedestrian-friendly cities pave a smooth path toward the farmers markets in our cold cities ranking, where most of the top 10 cities also ranked in the top 10 for walkability.

    Though patrons might need to bundle up, residents of top-ranking cities like Washington, D.C. (No. 4), Chicago (No. 5), and Providence, Rhode Island (No. 6) can easily stroll to winter markets in their area. 

    By prioritizing walker-friendly infrastructure, these cities encourage residents to lead a healthier, more active lifestyle, which is especially important in colder seasons when people tend to stay indoors more often. 

Our full ranking and analysis can be found here: https://lawnlove.com/blog/best-cities-winter-farmers-markets/