Spokane lucky #7 in hipster heaven ranking poll

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

(As reported in the Oregonian by Douglas Perry)

Portland is known far and wide for its hipsters. Tattoos, craft beer, bushy beards and side bands: that is the Rose City, and no other burgh can match its hipster cred.

Well, that used to be the case. 

The relocation-planning outfit MoveHub has created a U.S. Hipster Index to gain some attention, and we're giving it to them -- because the company's conclusions are a stunning blow to Portland hipsters' sense of self.

Vancouver, Wash., the city some snotty Portlanders deride as Vantucky, tops the ranking.

The list was compiled, Business Insider points out, "based on the number of microbreweries, thrift stores, vegan restaurants and tattoo parlors per 100,000 residents, as well as the rent inflation over the last year."

The good news for Portland hipsters: you beat out your Seattle rivals. The bad news: You're not even in the Top 10. The worse news: Vancouver and three other Northwest towns land higher up on the list than your city. Writes MoveHub:

"Although Portland, Oregon, tends to enjoy/suffer the strongest hipster connections in pop culture (and with good reason), it's been comfortably beaten by northern neighbor Vancouver, Washington, which tops the index with a score of 8.230. Its spread of microbreweries, thrift stores, vegan restaurants, tattoo parlors, and, of course, gentrification is unparalleled."

Below is the Top 25:

1. Vancouver, Wash.

2. Salt Lake City

Skiing in Little Cottonwood Canyon, outside of Salt Lake City.

2. Salt Lake City

 

3. Cincinnati

3. Cincinnati

 

4. Boise, Idaho

4. Boise, Idaho

5. Richmond, Virginia

6. Tacoma, Wash.

 

7. Spokane, Wash.

 

8. Atlanta

 

9. Grand Rapids, Mich.