Top Influencer-Friendly Cities in 2024: Bloomington, IN, Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Gen Z-ers

There are plenty of reasons to pack up and move to another city. One would be to answer the call to fame — internet fame, that is.

While we all know that New York City’s streets are crawling with aspiring content creators and that California’s Hollywood is attracting influencers by the dozen, these are not the only places that provide a great environment for a future social media star.

To test that, RentCafe took a look at a total of 19 metrics relevant to today’s new rising stars and identified the top 10 best cities for influencers, should they be looking for a change of pace from the Big Apple or the Golden State.

These metrics — which include personal care and leisure time; share of Gen Z; presence of independent artists; sound recording studios; green spaces; and internet speed and average sunshine — were then grouped into four distinct categories that would be of high interest to most Gen Z influencers: self-care and leisure time; the Gen Z metropolis; amenity-rich oasis; and sunlit and hyper-connected.

Granted, who wouldn’t be tempted by the prospect of earning a living by sharing their daily life, fashion tips, or workout routines? Despite the less-glamorous aspects (like endless brainstorming, retakes, and editing), the appeal lies in finding a place where you can innovate and thrive in this evolving field.

 

And, while it’s true that location might matter less for future TikTok or Instagram stars given that the whole appeal of a social career is that you can work from just about anywhere, it shouldn’t be discounted either.

So, where exactly can potential Gen Z influencers turn their sights to in 2024?

1. Bloomington, IN

It might not be a surprise that Bloomington, IN, is teeming with untapped potential: Ranking high when it comes to time spent on self-care and leisure activities (#2) and as an amenity-rich oasis (#26), this charming college town is perfect for students ready to share their restaurant and coffee shop experiences with millions of other foodies.

But, it’s not all about good food and wine tasting: Bloomington also loves to keep in shape, and renters have access to fantastic hiking spots, such as Hoosier National Forest, Lake Monroe and Griffy Lake Nature Preserve, in addition to the usual gyms.

2. Norwich, CT

Good food, exercise and fresh air are the tenets of a good life. So, it’s no wonder that Norwich, CT, ranks second on our list as it has all three in spades. Crowned #1 when it comes to being an amenity-rich oasis, the appropriately nicknamed “Rose of New England” is a true hidden gem.

In particular, fitness influencers will be delighted by the numerous hiking and biking trails in Mohegan Park, as well as the 5k fun runs held there, or the Yantic Falls, which makes for one amazing Instagram selfie background.

3. St. George, UT

Living up to its motto of “It’s the Brighter Side,” St. George is a great fit for influencers who care about personal care and community. Ranking first when it comes to self-care and leisure time, the city will certainly keep you busy with its art shows and concerts, as well as dinosaur-themed park and discovery site. (Talk about a great thumbnail for that YouTube video.)

However, that’s not all that Utah’s Dixie has to offer. If art or dinosaurs aren’t your thing (for some reason), then maybe golf is. Believe it or not, golf influencing is a thing and, while you’ll most likely have to learn how to actually play the game, it’s a small price to pay for those amazing course shoots.

4. Los Angeles

Sure, putting the “City of Angels” in a list of top 10 influencer-friendly cities might have been done before, but there’s a reason why we can’t always take the path less-traveled: The classics never go out of style. This is especially true for this California hotspot, which ranks 14th when it comes to Gen Z presence and 17th as an amenity-rich oasis.

Specifically, influencer renters here will be able to delight their fans and followers with gorgeous beach shoots; vlogs from Knott’s Berry Farm and the nearby Disneyland Resort; and, most important, fashion advice from one of the country’s best-dressed cities. Unfortunately, it also means you will never be able to escape OOTD content.

5. Santa Rosa, CA

Another California gem, Santa Rosa ranks fourth as an amenity-rich oasis for potential influencer renters and 14th in sunlit and hyper-connected, meaning that opportunities for content creation will be numerous.

If you’re looking for an alternative path, perhaps wine aunt influencer might be a good alternative — and Santa Rosa is a great place to truly embrace the persona. Surrounded by some of the best wineries in the Sonoma County — including Matanzas Creek Winery and Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate — Santa Rosa is a great place to really embrace lifestyle-focused content with visits to the local farmers’ market, safari tours and plenty of biking opportunities.

6. Lafayette, IN

If you’re looking to make content geared toward college students, look no further than Lafayette, IN. Home to Purdue University, this charming college town is teeming with Zoomer entrepreneurs with access to great internet and ranking second as a Gen Z metropolis.

Here, opportunities for educational content are plentiful thanks to attractions like Imagination Station, Lily Nature Center, Fort Ouiatenon Historic Park and the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette. But, if you’re looking to put the books down once in a while, Lafayette’s festivals provide a great alternative, with Feast of the Hunters’ Moon and Tippecanoe County 4-H Fair standing out.

7. Ithaca, NY

College town Ithaca has plenty to be proud of: Home to Cornell University and Ithaca College, the city is full of Gen Zers ready to dip their toes into the world of influencing. Good thing that gorgeous sights (such as Cayuga Lake, Ithaca Falls and Buttermilk Falls State Park) are there for that mesmerizing video background.

Plus, ranking fifth as a Gen Z metropolis, the city provides many content avenues. From lifestyle content centered around college life; potential for educational and historical essay videos; and even indulging a bit into the artistic and entertainment side, Ithaca is a great city to explore what it means to be an influencer.

8. Fort Collins, CO

Next on our list of best cities for influencers is Fort Collins, CO, whose sunny weather and internet speed helped it rank second in our sunlit and hyper-connected category. This means that there are low chances of rainy days ruining outdoor shoots.

This is great news given that Fort Collins is a treasure trove of outdoor activities, helping it rank 18th as an amenity-rich oasis. Whether you’re a fitness influencer looking to explore the Horsetooth Reservoir or Lory State Park; a foodie ready to make weekly trips to the Fort Collins Winter Farmers Market; or a rollerblader looking to become the Tony Hawk equivalent of the sport, there’s nothing that Fort Collins doesn’t provide.

9. Myrtle Beach, SC

Going back to the basics with this one, it’s undeniable that opportunities for beach-focused content is perhaps Myrtle Beach’s biggest appeal. Ranking seventh in self-care and leisure time; 12th in sunlit and hyper-connected; and 16th as an amenity-rich oasis, this South Carolina gem is a great fit for lifestyle influencers.

While the beach is the main attraction, Zoomers have a lot of other Instagrammable sights to look forward to here, such as Brookgreen Gardens and Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge. Otherwise, for those who are artistically inclined, Carolina Opry, House of Blues and Broadway Theater are great places to keep up with the art world (and prepare scathing reviews), while Alligator Adventure is the perfect spot if you think dinosaurs are too last season.

10. San Luis Obispo, CA

Rounding out the top 10 best cities for influencers is another California location (we told you the classics never go out of style) — San Luis Obispo. This gorgeous little spot is popular with tourists, and for a good reason: Its historical architecture makes any vacation spot 10 times more enviable. As such, it comes as no surprise, then, that it ranks 10th as an amenity-rich oasis.

Besides its gorgeous parks and beaches, SLO might also attract influencers interested in the unusual. How many other cities can boast about having an alley decorated with chewed gum left by visitors as an attraction? Of course, if you don’t want to be known for chewed gum content, don’t worry. SLO also has plenty of other perks, such as the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area, SLO Film Festival and seasonal whale-watching. (Coincidentally, whale-watching influencers might just be a yet-unexplored niche.)

The Pacific is 2024’s must-watch region for Gen Z influencers

When it comes to providing the best environment for influencing, it’s hard to beat the Pacific region, which claims 15 of the top 50 spots for most influencer-friendly cities list. Zooming in, California remains a favorite in the region thanks to places such as Los Angeles, Santa Rosa and San Luis Obispo.

 

Next, the Midwest and Northeast share second place with 10 cities each, despite their different appeals. Indiana cities Bloomington and Lafayette are taking the gold and silver medals in the Midwest, respectively, and are joined in third place by St. Cloud, MN, while the Northeast is represented by Norwich, CT; Ithaca, NY; and Portland, ME.

Then, the Southeast is next in line, claiming five of the top 50 cities with Myrtle Beach, SC leading the pack, followed by Fayetteville, AR, and Blacksburg, VA.

The remaining spots are split between the West (four cities), the Mountain region (four cities) and the Southwest (two cities). In this case, Utah cities prove to be big hits with influencers in the West, while Fort Collins, CO, and Arizona cities Flagstaff and Tucson reached the summit in the Mountain region. In the Southwest, Texas cities are at the forefront, with College Station and Dallas.

Sunnier spots are more favorable for renters looking to start a social media career

While great weather might not be all that necessary for a GRWM video, showing a cooking recipe or even a cute cat video, it certainly can’t hurt either. As if to prove this, California occupies the top spot on our states list, with 12 cities in our report. Nothing beats those gorgeous beaches, after all!

However, if you’re looking for something a little less high-profile, then take a look at Utah and Connecticut, which claim four and three cities, respectively. Indiana also counts three cities, making it on the short list of the most influencer-friendly states.

Methodology 

The “Top Cities for Influencers” ranking was curated by RentCafe.com, a leading national apartment search website that helps renters effortlessly find apartments and houses for rent across the United States. 

To determine suitable candidates, we considered cities that are part of the metropolitan area with populations exceeding 100,000 people, excluding those with insufficient data. In certain relevant cases where city-specific data was lacking, state averages were used. Ultimately, 246 cities qualified for the ranking. 

The RentCafe analytics team then employed a composite index to compare cities across four main categories: Activities; Influencer’s Paradise: The Gen Z Metropolis; Amenity-Rich Oasis; and Sunlit & Hyper-Connected. 

These categories were derived from 19 relevant metrics. Each metric was scored based on its minimum and maximum values, multiplied by its weight. Full points were awarded to the most desirable city for each metric, with the zero-point level assigned to the least desirable city’s value. 

Ranking metrics and data sources: 

Category 1: Self-Care and Leisure Time, Category weight: 30% 

1. Personal Care Time: Weight: 10%; Source: IPUMS American Time Use Survey 
2. Socializing and Leisure Time: Weight: 10%; Source: IPUMS American Time Use Survey 
3. Sports and Travel Time: Weight: 10%; Source: IPUMS American Time Use Survey 

Category 2: The Gen Z Metropolis, Category weight: 25% 

1. Share of Gen Z: Weight: 12.5%; Source: IPUMS USA 
2. Gen Z Creative Workforce (entertainers, performers, artists and related workers) per 100,000 population: Weight: 7.5%; Source: IPUMS USA 
3. Independent Artists per 100,000 population: Weight: 5%; Source: U.S. Census ECNSVY Business Patterns County Business Patterns 

Category 3: Amenity-Rich Oasis, Category weight: 30% 

1. Gyms per 100,000 population: Weight: 3%; Source: U.S. Census ECNSVY Business Patterns County Business Patterns 
2. Coffee and Tea Manufacturing per 100,000 population: Weight: 3%; Source: U.S. Census ECNSVY Business Patterns County Business Patterns 
3. Full-Service Restaurants per 100,000 population: Weight: 3%; Source: U.S. Census ECNSVY Business Patterns County Business Patterns 
4. Coffee & Snacks Shops per 100,000 population: Weight: 3%; Source: U.S. Census ECNSVY Business Patterns County Business Patterns 
5. Clothing and Clothing Accessories Stores per 100,000 population: Weight: 3%; Source: U.S. Census ECNSVY Business Patterns County Business Patterns 
6. Thrift Stores per 100,000 population: Weight: 3%; Source: U.S. Census ECNSVY Business Patterns County Business Patterns 
7. Sound Recording Studios per 100,000 population: Weight: 3%; Source: U.S. Census ECNSVY Business Patterns County Business Patterns 
8. Farmers Markets per 100,000 population: Weight: 3%; Source: USDA Local Food Directories 
9. Green Spaces per 100,000 population: Weight: 3%; Source: ParkServe via National Neighborhood Data Archive (NaNDA) 
10. Nature, Amusement and Theme Parks per 100,000 population: Weight: 3%; Source: U.S. Census ECNSVY Business Patterns County Business Patterns 

Category 4: Sunlit & Hyper-Connected, Category weight: 15% 

1. Average Sunshine: Weight: 5%; Source: National Centers for Environmental Information 
2. Internet Speed: Weight: 5%; Source: Highspeedinternet.com 
3. Internet Coverage: Weight: 5%; Source: U.S. Census American Community Survey 

IPUMS USA 

Steven Ruggles, Sarah Flood, Matthew Sobek, Daniel Backman, Annie Chen, Grace Cooper, Stephanie Richards, Renae Rogers, and Megan Schouweiler. IPUMS USA: Version 15.0 [dataset]. Minneapolis, MN: IPUMS, 2024. https://doi.org/10.18128/D010.V15.0 

IPUMS ATUS 

Sarah M. Flood, Liana C. Sayer, Daniel Backman and Annie Chen. American Time Use Survey Data Extract Builder: Version 3.2 [dataset]. College Park, MD: University of Maryland and Minneapolis, MN: IPUMS, 2023. https://doi.org/10.18128/D060.V3.2  

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