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Harumph! Seattle ranked 5th snobbiest city in U.S.

Alejandro De La Cruz
/
Flickr

Does our love of coffee make us snobs, Seattle? How about our dedication to recycling? 

Yes and yes, according to the readers of Travel and Leisure magazine who took part in a survey ranking the snobbiest cities in the U.S. 

Seattle tied with Santa Fe, New Mexico for the fifth spot on the list, which factored in “some traditional staples of snobbery: a reputation for aloof and smarty-pants residents,” as well as cultural offerings and high-end shops.

But it appears it was Seattle’s aptitude in the “ 21st-century definitions of elitism: tech-savviness, 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)” that placed the city so high on the list. Seattle ranked first for both tech-savviness and coffee culture, and ranked second for environmental friendliness after Portland.

San Francisco topped the list of snobby cities, followed by New York, Boston, and Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Several other West Coast cities also made the list. Portland ranked 11th, and Los Angeles ranked 16th.

The list was part of the magazine’s annual America’s Favorite Cities survey.