Cincinnati, OH

UPDATE: Check out our new 2023 Best Cities to Live in the U.S. list.

#7. Cincinnati OH

Another one of Wallethub’s Best Coffee Cities in America, Cincinnati is home to several high-quality coffee and tea roasters. In fact, Ohio as a whole is in the midst of a craft coffee boom. Home to the University of Cincinnati and thousands of students in need of caffeine, Cincinnati’s plethora of indie coffee shops deliver. Some high notes: Smooth Cincy Coffee cools coffee lovers down on hot days with their cold brew nitrogen-infused coffee, and Coffee Emporium is the city’s oldest operating coffeehouse featuring “really good coffee.”

Coffee isn’t the only thing that’s really good here. Cincy received the highest ranking in the infrastructure category of Livability’s Top 100 Best Places to Live in 2019 list thanks to its top-notch bus system and Cincinnati Bell Connector streetcar, as well as its easy access to other major cities. Residents here enjoy sporting events, a great food scene and plentiful job opportunities — all at a price point that earned the city a spot on Livability’s 10 Best Affordable Cities list.  

And we can’t forget to mention it’s home to the delicious Graeter’s Ice Cream, a sweet staple since 1868.

Coolest Coffee Shop: Our favorite has to be Collective Espresso, a small, hip local coffee chain that focuses on made-to-order coffee in its purest form. You won’t find any syrups or fancy drinks here, but you will find AMAZING coffee.

Newsletter Sign Up

Keep up to date with our latest rankings and articles!
Enter your email to be added to our mailing list.