Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body, the 18th-century writer Richard Steele once said. Now, the popular online book retailer Amazon.com has released its annual list showing just which cities are getting the best cerebral workout.
Topping the list of the most well-read cities in America is Seattle, where techies and bookworms abound. Seattle was thrust into first place by a highly educated population, book-centric community, and a plethora of local libraries and small bookstores. Portland, Oregon followed closely behind at #2.
Perhaps most surprising was Sin City which took the #3 spot on Amazon’s list. Despite Las Vegas’ reputation for fun and debauchery, its tourists and residents seem to get a lot of reading done while lounging beside those resort pools.
Tucson and Washington, D.C. rounded out the top 5, but three California cities also made the list. San Francisco came in at #7, while San Diego and San Jose took the #13 and #16 spots.
To determine the rankings, Amazon compared per capita sales of books and magazines among cities with more than 500,000 residents.
Read more about the most well-read cities in America and see a full list here.