In today’s digital age, influencers are everywhere. About 57% of Gen Zers and 41% of adults admit to wanting to become influencers [CNBC]; and with 184.9M TikTok users, 186.8M Instagram users, and 269.9M YouTube users across the U.S. and Canada, the race to go #viral is on.
So which cities offer the best shot at becoming an influencer? We analyzed 24 of North America’s biggest cities using a weighted index based on essential factors (per capita):
- Iconic landmarks for picturesque content
- TikTok videos tagged at local trendy influencer hotspots
- Positive social media sentiments toward influencers
Whether it’s aesthetic backdrops, trending hotspots, or hubs buzzing with #influencer energy, our index reveals where content creators can thrive. Ready to turn those likes into a full-time career?
Key Findings:
- Los Angeles, CA crowns itself as the Best Influencer City, with a near-perfect score of 98.6/100
- Houston, TX follows in 2nd place, with a high score of 97.9/100
- Toronto, ON ranks 3rd place overall with 84/100, making it the Top Influencer City in Canada
- Charlotte, NC is the Least Influencer-Friendly City with a low score of 1.5/100
Top 5 cities to make it as an #Influencer
It’s no surprise that Los Angeles wins the Best Influencer City title (98.6/100) – it’s where stars are born! With 2,296 influencers (the highest in the N. America), and 379 landmarks perfect for picture-perfect shots, it’s the #InfluencerParadise. LA scores the 2nd highest positive social media sentiment towards influencers; and there’s over 1k TikTok videos showing off the city’s trendiest hotspots for content #inspo. The only downside? LA ranks 7th highest in the U.S. for cost of living (78.4/100). Fame doesn’t come cheap!
Everything’s bigger in Texas, including your shot at influencer fame! Houston ranks as the 2nd Best Influencer City with a score of 97.9/100. With the 2nd lowest cost of living (61.7/100) in the study, influencers have more room to grow their careers without breaking the bank. While Houston only has 166 influencers, it boasts 3k TikTok videos (the 2nd highest in the N. America) on trendy hotspots and 153 landmarks – leaving space to create content without too much competition. With the 3rd highest positive sentiment towards influencers on social media, Houston is a great city where creators can thrive and go viral. #Yeehaw!
Throwing the #6ixInTheMix, Toronto secures 3rd place overall (84/100) and is the Best Influencer City in Canada. With 249 influencers (4th highest), creators have 291 landmarks and 2.8k TikTok hotspot videos to grow their following and online presence. Toronto also boasts the 4th highest positive social media sentiments towards influencers – keeping pleasantries in true #CanadianStyle.
While Nashville earned the nickname ‘Smashville’ for its NHL Predators team, it’s now smashing ‘like’ buttons on social media too. Nashville line-dances itself into 4th place overall with a score of 77.9/100. Home to 256 influencers (about 37 per 100k residents), the city makes it easy for creators to #LiveTheirBestLife. With a relatively low cost of living (68.3/100), plus 113 landmarks and 118 TikTok videos feature influencer-friendly hotspots, there’s plenty of space to build a following without breaking the bank.
Las Vegas rolls into 5th place with a score of 70.7/100, showing it’s a winning bet for influencers. With 68 influencers (about 10.2 per 100k residents), 142 landmarks, and 517 trendy TikTok-worthy hotspots, creators have everything they need to hit the content jackpot! #VivaLasVegas!
Conclusion
Whether you’re an aspiring influencer or just curious about North America’s influencer landscape, our data highlights the top cities to stack the influencer odds in your favor. Let this be your guide to entering your #InfluencerEra!
Methodology
In October 2024, we began with a seed list of the 24 most populated cities across the U.S. and Canada, creating an index that analyzes and weighs several key factors to determine the best cities to become an influencer. Please note that some populated cities weren’t included if they lacked data in the key factors researched.
Using Influencity, an influencer marketing platform, we identified the number of influencers in each city based on the following criteria:
- A minimum of 10k followers (Covers micro, macro, and mega influencers)
- A minimum of 2.0% engagement rate (the industry average)
- Individuals aged 18 years or older
- ‘Creator’ account type
Our weighted index assessed each city using the following metrics:
- Number of Influencers (25%)
- Number of TikTok ‘trendy’ hotspots (20%)
- Identified through searches like ‘#city + spots’ (e.g., #TorontoSpots, #NashvilleSpots)
- Number of landmarks (15%)
- Number of positive social media sentiments towards the term ‘influencer’ (15%)
We then adjusted the results according to population size to rank the best and worst cities to become an influencer.
Data sources:
- World Population Review
Fair use
Feel free to use the data or visuals on this page for non-commercial purposes. Please be sure to include proper attribution linking back to this page to give credit to the authors.
For any questions, please contact rhiannon.odonohoe[at]casino.org
