A list of the snobbiest American cities has been released by Travel + Leisure, with San Francisco topping the list with the number one spot for snobbiest city in America.
To determine the ranking, the magazine asked readers to take a survey and to consider what they thought of as "traditional staples of snobbery," such as a reputation for aloofness, residents that think they're smarter than other people, and other factors such as high-end shopping and highbrow cultural activities including classical music and theater. Other aspects that led to rankings as snobby include being eco-conscious and the presence of a foodie culture.
The magazine also considered the 21st century definition of elitism, which they considered to be "tech-savyiness, artisanal coffeehouses, and a conspicuous eco-consciousness (say, the kind of city where you get a dirty look for throwing your coffee cup in the wrong bin.)"
San Francisco came in first in the survey, based on factors such as its reputation as a foodie city, with fine dining and a variety of ethnic cuisine. They also rated high for boutiques and galleries. To make up for being ranked snobbiest, the city also was ranked first for being gay-friendly.
New York City was ranked second on the list, being awarded the second snobbiest because of the offerings in theater and the arts, as well as for the city's fashion sense.
Some of the cities that ranked on the list may be surprising, since they have reputations for being laid back, such as Seattle (5), Portland, Oregon (11), Nashville (13) and Los Angeles, which ranked 16.
Even though they are laid-back, things like technology (Seattle), a foodie culture (Portland and Nashville), being eco-conscious (Portland again!) and shopping (Los Angeles) scored those cities a place on the list.
Other major cities to make the list include Chicago, Washington, D.C., Miami, and Austin.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
