What Cities Are Best For a Backyard Swimming Pool?

After the hottest summer on record, Pool Gnome ranked 2023’s Best Cities to Own a Swimming Pool.

We compared over 380 of the biggest U.S. cities based on four categories. We considered access to pool installers and maintenance providers, costs, yard size, and even drought risk, among 15 total metrics.

See the 10 best (and 10 worst) cities to own a swimming pool below, followed by key stats from our report.

Key Takeaways:

• Balmy cities cannonballed to the top of our ranking with ideal swimming weather and high access to pool pros.

• 80 California, 40 Texas, and all 26 Florida cities that met our population requirement floated to the top half of our ranking. Those 3 states also dominated the top 30 — with 2 exceptions: Scottsdale, Arizona (No. 5), and Sandy Springs, Georgia (No. 23).

• Sunshine State cities Fort Myers (No. 1) and Boca Raton (No. 2) impress with top access to pool installers and maintenance and repair services.

• A few top-ranking cities also endure depleted water levels and high drought risk, which may lead to heftier water bills for pool owners.

• Cities in the Northeast and Midwest dived to the worse end of our ranking due to a shorter swimming season, with less sunshine and chillier weather.

• Philadelphia (No. 382) and Detroit (No. 383) plunged to the bottom alongside Flint, Michigan, in last place. Not only are pools less affordable in these cities, but they also lack spacious yards and access to pool professionals.

• Despite having spacious yards and pool-friendly climates, Jackson, Mississippi (No. 379), and Little Rock, Arkansas (No. 325), disappoint with costly pool installations and scarce access to pool pros.