America's Most and Least Attractive People

They’ve got culture, cutting-edge cuisine, and a bit of that you-are-what-you-eat glow. In this year’s survey, these erudite northern Californians jumped 10 positions to grab the trophy for good looks. They not only impressed with their stylish appeal, but even made readers swoon: the city also ranked near the top as a romantic Valentine’s Day destination.

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Here’s proof that the nerd factor can translate into sex appeal. The locals in this college and arts town—which readers loved for both its fine dining and pizza—also scored well this year for being sophisticated. You can get a glimpse of some attractive locals at Providence’s highly ranked coffee bars like New Harvest Coffee Roasters downtown.

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Even in its post-rhinestone era, the Tennessee city attracts plenty of star-worthy lookers, who pack a one-two punch thanks to their charming accents. The city has also become increasingly known for its diverse dining scene, ranking highly for both locavore farmers’ markets and down-home ethnic cuisine.

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Now this is a makeover: these mellow New Englanders made major strides with T+L readers, coming in fourth place for their rugged good looks (up 13 spots from last year). Readers felt most passionate about visiting the city during fall, summer, and the 4th of July.

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These Georgia peaches are regulars in the attractive top 10, but they also impress readers with their sense of fun. The city ranks well again for its happy hours and landed in the top 10 as a good place to ring in the New Year. Gentlemen, take note: Savannah also scored highly as a great girlfriends’ getaway.

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Readers’ hearts fluttered at the sight of the City of Big Shoulders this year. Good places to mingle with these midwesterners include the city’s microbreweries—such as Goose Island, in Lincoln Park and Wrigleyville—and renowned museums. Chicagoans apparently even look fetching when waving their giant foam fingers: the city also ranked in the top 10 for its passionate sports fans.

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The folks in this Missouri city deserve plenty of credit for attracting the attention of readers this year. After all, they face many figure-undermining temptations: Kansas City always ranks highly for its barbecue, and this year also made the top 10 for its hamburgers and desserts like the mountainous meringue pies at Upper Crust in Westport.

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This Oregon hub shows that you don’t have to be a conformist to be eye-catching: the hipster capital scored at the top of the survey for colorful people-watching (a good spot is Powell’s downtown flagship bookstore). Locals also have an attractive confidence, ranking in the top five for being both easygoing and proud of their hometown.

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Say what you want about rain, but these Washingtonians know the benefits of staying out of the wrinkle-inducing sun. Voters also liked Seattle’s balance of big-city elegance and exercise-loving earthiness. And whether or not it’s that legendary espresso that quickens your pulse, the city also ranked in the top 10 for romantic getaways.

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The South Carolina city has long been a hit with readers for its Lowcountry fine dining and King Street shopping and antiques. And the well-coiffed locals return to the good-looking top 10 this year, thanks no doubt to their genteel vibes and long-voweled accents. But the city need not feel too pricey: it also ranked at the top for its treasure-trove flea markets.

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You’re never fully dressed without a smile, D.C. Our nation’s capital slipped four places to take the bottom slot this year, perhaps in part because the locals came off as both unfriendly and not so stylish. But the city still offers some timeless beauties. It came in first place for its museums and sense of history, and scored near the top for classical music.

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Visitors found the locals in this Utah city to be the exact opposite of offbeat, and were instead more impressed by architectural sights like the Salt Lake Temple. Voters also gave the city big points for its hike- and ski-friendly weather. But by nightfall, Salt Lake City came across as an equal-opportunity snooze: it ranked last for both wine bars and sports bars.

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No doubt, some of the most eye-catching folk in Las Vegas are not the take-home-to-mother types. But the city more than held its own this year for its appealing happy hours—and, come morning, its life-restoring coffee. It also ranked as a pretty welcoming vacation spot for pets.

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The Alaska locals can boast that this year they climbed out of the last place ranking for good looks. They also came across as refreshingly unpretentious, ranking last for luxury stores. T+L readers’ favorite time to visit, meanwhile, was the midnight-sun-drenched summer.

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Generous servings of the blues, bars, and barbecue are not known for giving people dazzling smiles, but readers would not have the Tennessee city any other way. Memphis always scores well for its ribs and great street performers. This year the city also made an impression for its coffee and wealth of free attractions.

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In past years, readers have been smitten with the flashy lookers filing into the South Beach nightclubs. This year? Not so much. But Miami still ranked at No. 3 for its vibrant live music scene. T+L readers were also fans of the local sports bars, suggesting that for some in these parts, good fashion sense means wearing the right SEC football jersey.

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Readers may have been distracted by those distinctive Bawlmerese accents, or perhaps they just thought that locals like to watch sports more than play them. But they did give kudos to local residents for being welcoming to the LGBT community and for crowd-pleasing food trucks.

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It can be hard to compete for attention with the ball-gown-clad princesses that stroll this family vacation destination. Indeed, Orlando also scored poorly for actual people-watching. But everyone looks good in a set of mouse ears: the city made the top 20 for cool souvenirs.

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While some readers may have felt intimidated by the fast-talking locals, they still seem to love New Yorkers after dark. The Big Apple wins the survey for nightclubs this year, and ranks second for its singles scene. Serious sandwich-lovers feel their pulses quicken at the thought of NYC: the city ranked in the top five for its legendary delis.

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Once in the survey’s top 10 for looks, the island city slipped this year. But first impressions aren’t everything: San Juan still ranks in the top 10 for its wild weekend potential and scored right near the top for romance. And according to readers, everything feels beautiful here during the highly ranked, balmy winter season.

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