With 35% of Americans claiming they’d consider a move to a city with better pizza, one has to wonder exactly where one can find good pizza.
Four of the top 10 spots are in New York, so there must be something in the water to account for the good dough in the pizza—and bagels.
The majority of Americans—about 87%, according to a 2025 Clever Real Estate survey focusing on pizza—prefer to buy their pizza from small, independent pizzerias over large chains.
These independent pizza shops tend to feature local pizza styles, like Pittsburgh’s cold cheese pizza, Chicago’s deep dish and Buffalo-style.
From upstate surprises to legendary pizza capitals, here’s where serious pizza lovers should consider planting their roots.
1. The Flour City
There are a lot of Rochesters, but the one in New York—actually there are two in New York, but we’re talking about the one on Lake Ontario—is kind of known for its pizza. So much so that it earned the top spot on Clever’s list for Best Pizza cities.
The city boasts more than twice as many pizzerias per capita than average—25 compared to the national average of 12.4. The average Yelp rating comes to 4.11 out of 5, above the national average of 3.93.
Rochester’s pizza scene mostly consists of Western New York pizza, which is defined by its thicker, chewy crust, a subtly sweet sauce and a “cup-and-char” pepperoni.
Residents spend an estimated 2.51% of their income on weekly pizza night, according to Clever, with the average large cheese and large pepperoni pizza coming out to $18.02 and $20.42, respectively.
2. The city of brotherly love (for pizza)
Philadelphia has more to offer than cheesesteaks.
Philly’s claim to (pizza) fame is its tomato pie—often served at room temperature with a thick, focaccia-like crust topped with quality tomato sauce and a shake or two of parmesan cheese.
The city has 13.8 pizzerias per capita, and its pizza joints have a 4.19 average Yelp rating. Residents spend approximately 2.23% of their income on a weekly pizza night, with an average cheese pie and a pepperoni pizza coming to $17.17 and $20.08, respectively.
3. That place where they dumped a bunch of tea
Boston’s contribution to the pizza scene comes down to its Greek-style pizza, characterized by an oil-enriched crust and a rich tomato sauce, proofed and cooked in a shallow pan.
The pizzerias in Boston have an average Yelp rating of 4.09. The city has 13.5 pizza restaurants per capita.
Relative to median household income, the pizza in this city is relatively affordable, with residents spending 1.77% of their income on a weekly pizza night—at $17.53 for a large cheese and $20.25 for a large pepperoni pie.
4. The Motor City
When a city has a pizza named after it, it’s bound to have a decent slice of pie.
Detroit—along with Buffalo, New York—are tied for the fourth best pizza city by Clever’s ranking.
The thick, chewy, rectangular Detroit-style pies are cooked in high-sided pans, like the type once designed as a parts tray for the auto industry. The sauce is applied in dollops or stripes, and the cheese is spread to the edge of the crust, creating a crispy, lacy texture.
The city has just over half the national average of pizza restaurants—only 6.8 pizza joints per 100,000 residents.
The average large cheese comes to $16.25 and the pepperoni at $17.86—less than the respective averages of $18.02 and $20.42.
5. The Nickel City
Buffalo, New York, is known for more than just the iconic Buffalo wings.
Just like Rochester, Buffalo is known for the same Western New York style, along with the more traditional New York City style. In a WIVB article, a spokesperson for Bocce Club Pizza—which has been serving up Buffalo-style slices since 1946—explained the differences between the two.
“Buffalo-style pizza is characterized by its thick crust, which is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside,” Bocce Club says. “Compared to New York-style pizza, which has a thin, floppy crust and is often eaten folded in half, Buffalo-style pizza is thicker and more substantial.”
Even if you’ve never been to Buffalo, there’s a good chance you’re familiar with their style of pies—if not through taste, then at least on social media.
The Wall Street Journal did a deep dive into a specific pizza topping, “cup and char” pepperoni—pepperoni that crimps into cups of hot grease as they cook. This pepperoni style has its roots in Buffalo.
The city is home to 30 pizza restaurants per 100,000 residents—roughly 2.5x the national average of 12.4, according to the Clever study.
6. The Pizza Capital of the U.S.
New Haven “apizza,” pronounced “ah-beetz”, earned the city the official “Pizza Capital of the United States” title on May 22, 2024. At the official declaration, over a hundred pizza makers gathered outside the capitol building.
Entered into the Congressional Record, Representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut declared New Haven to have “the best pizza in the country.” In a separate release, she said “it’s not even close” and called Connecticut “the pizza state.”
Known locally as “the Big Three,” the most famous pizzerias in New Haven include:
- Frank Pepe’s, established in 1925
- Sally’s, which dates back to 1938
- Modern Apizza, dating back to 1934
7. The Steel City
Home to the cold cheese pizza—which has cold shredded cheese sprinkled after the pie leaves the oven, and only partially melts before serving—Pittsburgh ranks seventh on the list of top 10 pizza cities.
Pittsburgh boasts below-average prices for its pizza—$15.94 for a large cheese and $17.86 for pepperoni.
The city also has 1.4x more pizza restaurants than the national average, at 17.4 per 100,000 residents.
8. The Big Apple
Many things come to mind when thinking about New York City—Broadway, Central Park, Manhattan, bagels and pizza.
The large, foldable, hand-tossed pies with a thin crust earned the city a top spot, with more Americans selecting it as a top city than any other, at 66%, according to a Clever survey.
The city is home to what is mostly recognized as the first pizzeria in the nation: Lombardi’s at 32 Spring Street, established in 1905.
Since so many people claim the water is behind the city’s superior pizza, there’s even a business solely dedicated to replicating New York’s water system.
The price and average number of pizzerias per capita kept New York City from a higher ranking, marking it as the eighth top pizza city in the U.S.
A large cheese pizza in the city averages $26, while a pepperoni averages $29.75. Compared to the country’s average of 12.4 pizzerias per 100,000 residents, NYC comes to 12.3.
9. The Empire State’s capital
As the fourth NY metro in the top 10, New York’s capital has roughly 1.7x more pizza restaurants per 100,000 residents, at 20.9 compared to 12.4 in a typical city.
Albany also has cheaper-than-average pizza, with large cheese pies at $16.37 and large pepperoni ones at $18.54.
The metro’s pizza scene primarily consists of New York City-style pizzas, but Utica’s upside-down-style pies—with sauce over the cheese—have also placed their influence on the state’s capital.
10. The Windy City
Chicagoans have a deep love for pizza. If you wind up moving there—pun intended—you’ll be in for a treat, as it’s home to America’s second-favorite pizza style, second to the New York style, per the Clever survey.
Its thick, crisp crust holds a generous amount of cheese, toppings and chunky tomato sauce.
Although people are blown away by its slices, Chicago ranked 10th on the list of top pizza cities due to its high prices.
The average price for a large cheese pizza comes to $22.73 and $26.10 for a large pepperoni, compared to the national averages of $18.02 and $20.42, respectively.
This adds up to an above-average 2.92% of the city’s median household income to buy weekly cheese and pepperoni pies.
