Did you know that, according to the Vegetarian Resource Group, about 6% of American adults are either vegetarian or vegan? Although not a tremendously high percentage, experts have noticed an increased interest in the lifestyle.
Turns out, though, that where you live heavily influences your ability to embrace a veggie-only diet—at least according to a new study by WalletHub analyzing the best and cheapest cities for a plant-based diet in the U.S.
To come up with the ranking—which Los Angeles topped, naturally—the company compared the 100 largest cities in the country across 17 key indicators, including cost of groceries, average meal price, share of restaurants serving vegetarian/vegan options, salad shops and juice bars per capita and more.
According to the study, the average L.A. resident is actually 187% more likely to be a vegetarian or vegan than folks in other towns—so the city’s position on the list should come as no surprise. (San Francisco actually would’ve had us beat if not for the Bay Area’s dead last ranking in affordability.)
“In addition, the city has the second-highest number of affordable restaurants with vegan and vegetarian options that have at least 4.5 stars on Yelp,” reads the study, also mentioning the number of places to buy fresh produce, farmers’ markets, community gardens and more.
The best cities for vegetarians and vegans in the U.S.
1. Los Angeles
2. Orlando
3. Portland, OR
4. San Diego
5. Seattle
6. Austin
7. San Francisco
8. Miami
9. Phoenix
10. Tampa
11. New York
12. Washington, D.C.
13. Oakland
14. Las Vegas
15. Chicago
16. Atlanta
17. Madison, WI
18. Houston
19. Sacramento
20. San Antonio