2023's Best Cities For Surviving An Apocalypse

Urban homesteaders, have you ever wondered if you live in one of the best cities for surviving an apocalypse? Recently, Lawn Love ranked 2023’s Best Cities for Surviving a Zombie Apocalypse. They compared the 200 biggest U.S. cities based on five zombie survival categories, including vulnerability, hideouts, supplies, protection and mobility. They also considered population density, access to “bunkers,” and hunting gear stores, for example, among 30 total metrics. How does your city rank?

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Best Cities for Surviving an Apocalypse

Houston, TX
New York, NY
San Antonio, TX
Miami, FL
Los Angeles, CA
Austin, TX
San Diego, CA
Las Vegas, NV
Chicago, IL
Orlando, FL

Worst Cities for Surviving a Zombie Apocalypse

Miramar, FL
Jackson, MS
North Las Vegas, NV
Paterson, NJ
Pembroke Pines, FL
Surprise, AZ
Detroit, MI
Port St. Lucie, FL
Garden Grove, CA
West Valley City, UT

How the cities shape up

Houston holds the crown for zombie readiness as the top-ranked city (No. 1), armed with the most hunting gear stores (18) and weapons and ammunition stores (60). The city’s abundance of airports, helipads, and Gulf Coast access via ports and marinas adds escape options from the undead.

New York’s advantage lies in its density, helping it secure a low Vulnerability rank at No. 172. Times Square might not be the ideal zombie-spot, but the Big Apple (No. 2) excels in Supplies, clinching the top spot with a multitude of convenience, hardware, and department stores for stockpiling survival essentials.

Heading west, Portland, Oregon (No. 11), takes the crown for Mobility, with San Francisco (No. 21) and New York (No. 2) in tow. Their port and marina access, coupled with pedestrian and bike-friendly infrastructure, create perfect escape routes during a potential outbreak.

In the Lone Star State, San Antonio (No. 3) and Austin (No. 6) shine with easy access to hardware stores and shooting ranges. San Antonio’s impressive number of supermarkets and hunting gear stores sets it apart, while Dallas (No. 17), Fort Worth (No. 28), and El Paso (No. 32) also rank high in Supplies and Protection.

Minnesota’s twin cities, St. Paul (No. 55) and Minneapolis (No. 26), excel in Hideouts, boasting homes equipped with basements and full kitchen and plumbing facilities. Their unique skyway systems, the Minneapolis Skyway System and the Saint Paul Skyway, connect downtown blocks via enclosed footbridges.

For those looking to run from the undead, two cities in the Evergreen State lead the pack. Bellevue (No. 76) claims the lowest physical inactivity rate, closely followed by Seattle (No. 14). These cities are primed for a swift escape if zombies come knocking.

Top 200 Best Cities for Surviving an Apocalypse

Overall Rank	City	State	Overall Score	Vulnerability Rank	Hideouts Rank	Supplies Rank	Protection Rank	Mobility Rank
1	Houston	TX	66.14	177	49	2	1	4
2	New York	NY	62.39	172	92	1	7	3
3	San Antonio	TX	57.47	28	45	4	4	34
4	Miami	FL	55.45	1	167	10	2	20
5	Los Angeles	CA	55.25	157	160	3	6	7
6	Austin	TX	51.92	11	31	12	15	12
7	San Diego	CA	51.33	20	118	16	9	6
8	Las Vegas	NV	51.28	102	195	6	3	40
9	Chicago	IL	49.50	165	17	5	20	23
10	Orlando	FL	48.96	24	130	7	11	35
11	Portland	OR	48.92	76	26	34	19	1
12	Phoenix	AZ	48.42	33	182	8	5	95
13	Colorado Springs	CO	47.85	10	41	43	8	58
14	Seattle	WA	46.78	50	71	42	14	8
15	Honolulu	HI	45.89	3	156	41	13	14
16	Tampa	FL	44.96	25	162	13	23	22
17	Dallas	TX	44.84	167	34	9	25	28
18	Jacksonville	FL	44.64	49	172	11	10	87
19	Pittsburgh	PA	43.15	6	83	33	69	11
20	Denver	CO	43.11	72	93	26	12	37
21	San Francisco	CA	42.64	21	171	52	41	2
22	Philadelphia	PA	42.47	58	94	19	75	9
23	Salt Lake City	UT	41.95	70	88	59	18	24
24	Washington	DC	41.85	7	21	62	119	10
25	Tucson	AZ	41.80	29	185	14	26	56
26	Minneapolis	MN	41.61	77	2	63	67	30
27	Sacramento	CA	41.60	22	117	27	21	59
28	Fort Worth	TX	41.47	161	38	21	27	41
29	Albuquerque	NM	41.37	71	109	23	16	64
30	Alexandria	VA	40.62	2	42	111	136

31	Omaha	NE	40.59	75	7	29	54	101
32	El Paso	TX	40.32	57	48	15	29	119
33	Richmond	VA	39.93	38	89	49	57	19
34	Atlanta	GA	39.83	88	74	20	43	47
35	Cincinnati	OH	39.78	81	68	28	33	45
36	Oklahoma City	OK	39.67	37	67	25	24	138
37	Madison	WI	39.54	42	8	118	86	52
38	Spokane	WA	39.33	12	18	95	70	74
39	Anchorage	AK	39.27	9	191	115	28	38
40	Kansas City	MO	39.12	30	16	39	96	73
41	Fort Collins	CO	39.11	65	52	147	45	16
42	Des Moines	IA	39.10	8	3	136	176	83
43	Boise	ID	39.02	61	65	113	32	29
44	Baltimore	MD	38.14	5	179	53	83	33
45	Virginia Beach	VA	38.03	14	106	38	30	106
46	Rochester	NY	37.99	94	27	64	103	17
47	Boston	MA	37.96	47	25	126	140	18
48	Louisville	KY	37.94	185	19	24	42	67
49	Tacoma	WA	37.58	13	79	132	90	44
50	Charlotte	NC	37.42	95	120	17	37	72
51	San Jose	CA	37.25	123	119	22	56	32
51	Columbus	OH	37.25	119	75	30	39	63
53	Indianapolis	IN	37.02	162	62	18	36	103
54	St. Louis	MO	37.02	45	23	48	72	112
55	St. Paul	MN	36.95	126	1	119	109	71
56	Knoxville	TN	36.73	104	66	46	65	46
57	Charleston	SC	36.62	4	102	110	73	69
58	Nashville	TN	36.60	111	57	40	52	61
59	Cleveland	OH	36.32	66	56	65	92	50
60	Reno	NV	36.14	103	198	76	22	39
61	Corpus Christi	TX	35.95	44	64	79	46	113
62	Tulsa	OK	35.62	136	54	32	61	88
63	Riverside	CA	35.50	32	153	85	51	62
64	Plano	TX	35.24	31	33	44	99	137
65	Mesa	AZ	35.16	105	170	35	17	140
66	Milwaukee	WI	35.08	144	13	74	164	54
67	Buffalo	NY	35.03	84	73	114	130	26
68	Raleigh	NC	34.92	80	113	31	38	109
69	Vancouver	WA	34.89	93	97	90	101	21
70	Chattanooga	TN	34.88	110	85	72	64	51
71	Lincoln	NE	34.87	55	9	78	117	147
72	Grand Rapids	MI	34.81	82	32	133	76	75
73	Syracuse	NY	34.66	59	53	156	132	48
74	Eugene	OR	34.59	113	78	148	81	31
75	Oakland	CA	34.26	142	131	125	151	5
76	Bellevue	WA	34.25	62	69	122	111	65
77	Providence	RI	34.21	54	59	182	191	27
78	Long Beach	CA	34.07	124	155	80	126	13
79	Wichita	KS	33.80	90	22	45	44	171
80	Huntington Beach	CA	33.80	117	114	144	48	42
81	Fresno	CA	33.60	183	134	37	31	77
82	Oceanside	CA	33.41	132	124	146	66	25
83	Springfield	MO	33.32	125	58	55	50	130
84	Orange	CA	32.98	41	157	173	55	94
85	Olathe	KS	32.95	68	6	174	123	157
86	Savannah	GA	32.94	40	107	81	77	114
87	Overland Park	KS	32.71	27	5	94	155	191
88	Akron	OH	32.65	149	20	166	108	85
89	St. Petersburg	FL	32.62	96	192	88	35	79
90	Fort Lauderdale	FL	32.50	108	154	69	34	111
91	Norfolk	VA	32.50	18	116	112	179	86
92	Sioux Falls	SD	32.44	46	14	107	94	187
93	Aurora	CO	32.40	17	87	50	121	154
94	Naperville	IL	32.22	64	4	183	161	164
95	Fremont	CA	32.17	60	132	137	165	43
96	Scottsdale	AZ	32.17	51	178	92	53	123
97	Bakersfield	CA	32.11	148	145	47	40	115
98	Salem	OR	32.04	130	82	131	84	89
99	Torrance	CA	32.00	19	150	116	105	121
100	Memphis	TN	31.97	179	142	36	49	98
101	Newport News	VA	31.80	23	115	128	156	102
102	New Orleans	LA	31.63	36	190	89	139	91
103	Columbus	GA	31.51	34	112	84	106	131
104	Pasadena	CA	31.31	87	110	178	125	49
105	Santa Rosa	CA	31.21	78	159	170	114	55
106	Roseville	CA	31.20	63	146	129	68	117
107	Chesapeake	VA	31.17	15	103	67	142	150
108	Lexington	KY	31.16	154	15	61	87	173
109	Arlington	TX	31.08	137	39	77	97	139
110	Frisco	TX	30.93	53	30	123	167	148
111	Irvine	CA	30.88	74	139	105	168	68
112	Huntsville	AL	30.84	122	105	56	82	124
113	Little Rock	AR	30.71	127	86	82	110	120
114	Durham	NC	30.57	86	141	98	137	82
115	McKinney	TX	30.34	79	55	124	134	142
116	Lakewood	CO	30.18	73	91	180	79	132
117	Chula Vista	CA	30.13	156	149	109	133	53
118	Fort Wayne	IN	30.07	92	61	68	89	163
119	Mobile	AL	30.06	43	197	51	63	158
120	Lubbock	TX	30.05	151	51	70	59	172
121	Greensboro	NC	29.75	100	136	54	80	144
122	Toledo	OH	29.75	163	76	108	160	96
123	Anaheim	CA	29.66	139	176	104	107	78
124	Killeen	TX	29.60	52	46	160	112	178
125	Glendale	CA	29.60	69	166	194	147	90
126	Stockton	CA	29.52	184	144	83	91	84
127	Corona	CA	29.50	118	140	135	78	116
128	Waco	TX	29.48	181	72	172	102	105
129	Fayetteville	NC	29.31	35	173	93	60	179
130	Sunnyvale	CA	29.16	120	123	200	150	57
131	Henderson	NV	29.13	109	193	101	47	135
132	Modesto	CA	29.11	106	122	99	95	129
133	Oxnard	CA	29.09	191	133	130	148	36
134	Garland	TX	29.08	188	40	102	130	126
135	Yonkers	NY	29.05	135	98	187	143	93
136	Baton Rouge	LA	28.96	112	194	58	62	141
137	Springfield	MA	28.93	168	50	198	193	92
138	Joliet	IL	28.86	152	11	191	178	162
139	Tempe	AZ	28.79	114	168	127	88	122
140	Hayward	CA	28.77	121	135	143	197	66
141	Amarillo	TX	28.73	115	70	75	85	185
142	Hampton	VA	28.68	16	104	185	135	170
143	Rockford	IL	28.62	146	10	141	169	186
144	Denton	TX	28.57	91	43	161	158	154
145	Escondido	CA	28.48	160	108	154	163	76
146	Fullerton	CA	28.41	138	181	165	128	81
147	Santa Ana	CA	28.40	197	147	103	98	60
148	Winston-Salem	NC	28.40	99	95	60	175	146
149	Santa Clarita	CA	28.35	101	151	179	129	108
150	Aurora	IL	28.11	140	12	195	159	188
151	Macon	GA	28.09	107	187	134	127	107
152	Birmingham	AL	28.09	153	101	57	71	166
152	Worcester	MA	28.09	89	28	190	195	153
154	Clarksville	TN	27.86	141	81	117	120	152
155	Glendale	AZ	27.77	39	186	71	118	180
156	Rancho Cucamonga	CA	27.75	128	129	171	165	104
157	Bridgeport	CT	27.63	176	99	199	180	70
158	Augusta	GA	27.55	56	143	97	122	169
159	Montgomery	AL	27.52	48	183	73	149	167
160	Thornton	CO	27.32	97	80	189	138	159
161	Murfreesboro	TN	27.20	98	90	96	115	181
162	Salinas	CA	27.04	186	111	150	186	80
163	Moreno Valley	CA	26.59	169	137	188	183	99
164	Warren	MI	26.55	26	77	192	185	194
165	Dayton	OH	26.51	155	189	87	124	133
166	Peoria	AZ	26.46	83	174	155	104	161
167	Chandler	AZ	26.35	67	175	86	74	193
168	Carrollton	TX	26.34	116	29	186	196	183
169	Pomona	CA	26.34	147	121	193	190	110
170	Hialeah	FL	26.30	199	177	106	58	127
171	Grand Prairie	TX	26.24	175	37	163	173	165
172	Tallahassee	FL	26.00	133	184	66	100	175
173	Irving	TX	26.00	166	47	139	171	177
174	Cape Coral	FL	25.78	143	125	121	93	176
175	Shreveport	LA	25.73	150	161	91	170	145
176	Mesquite	TX	25.70	170	35	162	146	189
177	Palmdale	CA	25.44	171	127	164	153	136
178	Pasadena	TX	25.28	182	36	184	187	168
179	Brownsville	TX	25.20	198	60	152	152	149
180	Lancaster	CA	25.10	163	126	169	182	134
181	Fontana	CA	24.93	187	138	153	177	128
182	San Bernardino	CA	24.90	195	163	138	141	125
183	Ontario	CA	24.88	178	152	145	116	156
184	Jersey City	NJ	24.70	193	164	167	189	100
185	Newark	NJ	24.69	192	96	181	199	118
186	Kansas City	KS	24.64	180	24	176	145	195
187	McAllen	TX	24.55	173	44	100	188	192
188	Elk Grove	CA	24.37	129	128	175	154	174
189	Laredo	TX	24.19	196	63	120	157	182
190	Hollywood	FL	23.96	145	188	168	172	151
191	West Valley City	UT	23.71	158	84	197	194	184
192	Garden Grove	CA	23.57	190	169	149	183	143
193	Port St. Lucie	FL	23.38	159	158	140	113	190
194	Detroit	MI	23.37	194	200	142	162	97
195	Surprise	AZ	21.28	85	180	159	174	200
196	Pembroke Pines	FL	20.99	134	165	157	191	196
197	Paterson	NJ	19.93	200	100	177	200	160
198	North Las Vegas	NV	19.57	189	196	151	144	197
199	Jackson	MS	19.48	131	199	158	181	198
200	Miramar	FL	19.34	174	148	196	198

Source: Lawn Love