The 13 Best Cities to Shop Garage Sales
With affluent communities, sprawling suburbs, and large properties, the U.S. offers fantastic garage sales in nearly every state. Yet, due to differences in layout, climate, and safety, some places offer better options and experiences than others.
We’ve scoured through studies conducted by Lawn Love that ranked these cities and provided an overall ‘Garage Sale Score’ to give you the Top 13 cities for garage sales. It’s based on the number of garage sales, estate sales, walkability, climate, and the size of the selling space.
Anyway, enough of the geeky stuff. Here’s a look at those top cities and a look at what makes them unique.
Los Angeles, CA
L.A. has it all when it comes to what you’d want from garage sales. It’s a melting pot of cultures and wealth levels with a huge population and tons of properties with garages.
In more affluent neighborhoods, you might even find designer clothes, collectibles, and upscale goods for knock-off prices. L.A. also has a huge entertainment industry, so who knows what surprises you might find. Best of all, L.A. has sun all year round. So, it’s pretty much non-stop garage sales.
Garage Sale Score: 71.34
San Antonio, TX
San Antonio is ranked as one of the most searched places for garage sales in the U.S. With a generally lower cost of living than many other U.S. cities, you can often find some great prices.
Also known as Military City USA, it’s also the ideal city to go garage sale shopping if you’re a military fan. Military families are frequently on the move and need to clear out old gear before they move on.
Finally, San Antonio is known for its close-knit feel and you can find neighborhood-organized garage sales.
Garage Sale Score: 63.24
Dallas, TX
Dallas is a mix of a large growing urban city and sprawling suburbs (like Plano, Frisco, and Arlington). This gives you the chance to browse many sales in concentrated neighborhoods. Dallas also has 41 colleges and universities within its metropolitan area — the most in Texas. That combined, with the large mix of backgrounds and communities, means there’s likely to be a lot of second-hand stuff on sale.
Garage Sale Score: 55.04
Chicago, IL
In 2022, Chicago was ranked as one of the best cities for thrifting, and the culture of buying and selling there is alive and strong. It has a rich history with families living there for generations, so you can get your hands on retro clothing, furniture, and all sorts of relics of the 20th century.
It also has a history of involvement in arts, music, literature, film, and sport, so there’s all sorts of merch and specialist equipment you could find.
Garage Sale Score: 54.69
Houston, TX
With a population of over 2.3 million, Houston is rife with garage sales on any given weekend. It also has one of the highest yard sale access rankings. But more importantly, its garage sales are likely to have a really eclectic mix of times. From the metropolis to the suburbs, its diverse population, sporting heritage, and mild climate can only bring an interesting day out.
Garage Sale Score: 52.92
Fort Worth, TX
One last trip to Texas here, with Fort Worth and the “City of Cowboys and Culture.” Ranked high due to its size of yards and percentage of homes with garages, you could find mid-century furniture and antique collectibles amongst its affluent suburbs.
Keep Fort Worth on your list because its great climate means garage sales are available pretty much all year.
Garage Sales Score: 51.75
Minneapolis, MN
The City of Minneapolis experiences distinct seasons, unlike some of the cities we’ve listed so far, so you’re garage sale shopping is limited to times when the weather is good. That means you might come across a mix of items throughout the year, like summer clothes mixed with Christmas decorations.
It’s also worth checking out the areas around the University of Minnesota, as students and faculty are likely to be moving out and you might find a bunch of bargains.
Garage Sales Score: 49.69
Indianapolis, IN
The “Crossroads of America” has a population of 887,642 and is a great place to go bargain hunting. With large yards, each location is likely to be stacked with items. It could especially be a great idea to visit it if you’ve got a love for cars; the Indianapolis Speedway is in close vicinity, so you might be able to find some old motorsport memorabilia.
Garage Sales Score: 49.69
Wichita, KS
Wichita is known for its family-friendly atmosphere. With strong communities comes the higher likelihood for garage sales and Wichita has them in large numbers.
Since the city is a hotspot for aircraft manufacturing, savvy seekers have a higher chance of discovering rare or vintage memorabilia. Mild spring and fall weather also makes it perfect for perusing garage sales.
Garage Sales Score: 48.52
Portland, OR
Oregon’s most populous city offers you a chance to explore unique garage sales in an eco-conscious, diverse, and often artisan-packed environment. Known for its liberal-leaning and progressive political views, it offers a counter-culture that may be attractive to those wanting to thrift something a bit more artsy and unique!
Garage Sales Score: 48.23
Kansas City, MO
Back to Missouri now for Kansas City and its rich history and older neighborhoods like Westport, Hyde Park, and Brookside. These communities look unique and offer frequent garage sales. I’d recommend enjoying some Kansas City-style barbecue and strip steak while you’re there, and checking out the Kansas City Chiefs stadium if you’re a sports fan.
Garage Sales Score: 47.65
Cleveland, OH
Cleveland is a cultural hotspot and has over 372,000 residents. It’s also 4th in the most searched garage sale cities in the entire country. With such a rich history of sports and music, there’s a good chance you’ll find items related to the arts of the Cleveland Browns. The seasons limit how frequently there are garage sales, so be prepared and plan in advance if you’re making a trip.
Garage Sales Score: 47.28
Rochester, NY
We end our trip around the best garage sale cities in Rochester, New York. This city is famous for its culture, with Jazz still alive and kicking. It’s the 6th most searched city for garage sales online, and boasts a relatively accessible layout. So you can walk, drive, or use public transport for an entire day and check out multiple garage sales.
Garage Sales Score: 46.65
