A day at the farmers market makes for a great family-friendly excursion. Shopping there is more than just buying groceries; it’s a way to build a community. These bustling outdoor markets provide fresh fruits and vegetables from local farms and foster a direct connection between consumers and producers. Besides farmers, local artisans sell regional products like fresh honey, homemade cheese, and specialty bread. Some markets even go beyond food-based products and offer arts and crafts like pottery, jewelry, clothes, and more. When shoppers choose to buy from the farmers market, they actively contribute to and support the local economy.
In some communities, farmers markets are open year-round, and in others, they are seasonal and generally open between late spring and early fall, So be sure to check your area to see when the farmers markets are open. Depending on the size of your city, the market may be open several days a week, but in smaller communities, it’s often a once-a-week affair.
If you have never been to a farmers market, you are in for a real treat. But before you go, there are a few simple guidelines to follow for the best market experience. Arrive early but not too early, as many vendors are still setting up at opening time. As you browse, be sure to chat with vendors as they are ready to answer questions and talk about their products. But keep in mind that prices are set, and negotiating is not the norm unless it is at the end of the day when some vendors prefer to sell everything rather than haul their items back home.
Now that you know the best practices for shopping at the farmers market, you might be interested in knowing the city with the most farmers markets in every state so you can head out and buy locally. (If you need another reason to buy fresh and local, here’s a look at the most contaminated produce sold at grocery stores.)
To determine the city with the most farmers markets in every state, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on farmers market listings from the USDA. Cities were ranked based on the total number of farmers markets listings within city boundaries. Place boundary definitions came from the U.S. Census Bureau. Supplemental data on population is from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Alabama: Mobile
Mobile, Alabama, USA downtown skyline at dusk.
- Farmers market count: 8 listings
- Total population: 186,316
Alaska: Anchorage
- Farmers market count: 16 listings
- Total population: 290,674
Arizona: Phoenix
- Farmers market count: 17 listings
- Total population: 1,609,456
Arkansas: Little Rock
- Farmers market count: 5 listings
- Total population: 202,218
California: Los Angeles
Aerial view of the business district in Downtown of Los Angeles in background from Lincoln Heights neighborhood.
- Farmers market count: 46 listings
- Total population: 3,881,041
Colorado: Denver
- Farmers market count: 18 listings
- Total population: 710,800
Connecticut: New Haven
- Farmers market count: 11 listings
- Total population: 135,736
Delaware: Wilmington
- Farmers market count: 5 listings
- Total population: 71,034
Florida: Miami
- Farmers market count: 8 listings
- Total population: 443,665
Georgia: Atlanta
- Farmers market count: 22 listings
- Total population: 494,838
Hawaii: Waimea
- Farmers market count: 2 listings
- Total population: 10,458
Idaho: Boise City
- Farmers market count: 2 listings
- Total population: 234,192
Illinois: Chicago
- Farmers market count: 68 listings
- Total population: 2,721,914
Indiana: Indianapolis
- Farmers market count: 19 listings
- Total population: 882,006
Iowa: Des Moines
- Farmers market count: 9 listings
- Total population: 213,164
Kansas: Lawrence
- Farmers market count: 5 listings
- Total population: 95,103
Kentucky: Louisville
- Farmers market count: 15 listings
- Total population: 00
Louisiana: New Orleans
- Farmers market count: 10 listings
- Total population: 380,408
Maine: Bangor
- Farmers market count: 3 listings
- Total population: 31,705
Maryland: Baltimore
- Farmers market count: 8 listings
- Total population: 584,548
Massachusetts: Boston
- Farmers market count: 18 listings
- Total population: 665,945
Michigan: Detroit
Detroit Woodward Ave
- Farmers market count: 13 listings
- Total population: 636,787
Minnesota: Minneapolis
- Farmers market count: 30 listings
- Total population: 426,877
Mississippi: Jackson
- Farmers market count: 3 listings
- Total population: 153,271
Missouri: Kansas City
- Farmers market count: 12 listings
- Total population: 505,958
Montana: Missoula
- Farmers market count: 4 listings
- Total population: 74,627
Nebraska: Omaha
Omaha downtown skyline during Autumn, with a lake at the Heartland of America Park in the foreground
- Farmers market count: 5 listings
- Total population: 489,201
Nevada: Las Vegas
- Farmers market count: 5 listings
- Total population: 644,835
New Hampshire: Derry
- Farmers market count: 3 listings
- Total population: 23,027
New Jersey: Jersey City
- Farmers market count: 4 listings
- Total population: 287,899
New Mexico: Silver City
- Farmers market count: 3 listings
- Total population: 9,650
New York: New York
New York, N.Y., Jul. 21, 2017--The New Jersey Army National Guard (NJANG) Aviation Program has generously offered their support to conduct an aerial view/survey of the Gotham Shield Exercise covering the New York / New Jersey area. FEMA Region II and NYCEM personnel were among those who took part in the flights. The overall objective is to gain increased training knowledge and experience from an ‘outside-in’ approach and to improve our national capacity to build, sustain, and deliver core capabilities. FEMA/K.C.Wilsey
- Farmers market count: 59 listings
- Total population: 8,622,467
North Carolina: Charlotte
- Farmers market count: 8 listings
- Total population: 875,045
North Dakota: Fargo
- Farmers market count: 1 listing
- Total population: 127,319
Ohio: Columbus
Ohio has one of the longest rivers filled with snakes in the us
- Farmers market count: 14 listings
- Total population: 902,449
Oklahoma: Tulsa
- Farmers market count: 5 listings
- Total population: 411,938
Oregon: Portland
- Farmers market count: 19 listings
- Total population: 646,101
Pennsylvania: Philadelphia
- Farmers market count: 14 listings
- Total population: 1,593,208
Rhode Island: Providence
- Farmers market count: 10 listings
- Total population: 189,715
South Carolina: Columbia
- Farmers market count: 11 listings
- Total population: 136,754
South Dakota: Sioux Falls
- Farmers market count: 3 listings
- Total population: 193,401
Tennessee: Nashville
- Farmers market count: 9 listings
- Total population: 684,103
Texas: San Antonio
- Farmers market count: 34 listings
- Total population: 1,445,662
Utah: Murray
- Farmers market count: 4 listings
- Total population: 50,041
Vermont: Burlington
- Farmers market count: 4 listings
- Total population: 44,646
Virginia: Richmond
- Farmers market count: 14 listings
- Total population: 227,171
Washington: Seattle
- Farmers market count: 9 listings
- Total population: 734,603
West Virginia: Martinsburg
- Farmers market count: 3 listings
- Total population: 18,678
Wisconsin: Milwaukee
- Farmers market count: 14 listings
- Total population: 573,299
Wyoming: Casper
- Farmers market count: 6 listings
- Total population: 58,631
(Hungry for more? Check out signature dishes in 50 American cities.)