Just in time for Valentine’s Day,Amazon.com unveiled its annual list of the 20 most romantic cities in the US—with Knoxville, Tenn. taking the top spot. Amazon also launched a new feature this year—50 Great American Love Stories—an editorially chosen list of essential reads about love in all its forms, state by state.
After compiling sales data of romance novels and relationship books (Kindle books and print books); romantic comedy movies (digital and DVDs); a collection of romantic music from Dean Martin, Barry White, Luther Vandross, Maxwell and Miguel (CDs and MP3s); along with sexual wellness products, from Jan. 1, 2012 – Jan. 23, 2013 on a per capita basis in cities with over 100,000 residents, the top 20 most romantic cities in the US are:
- Knoxville, Tenn.
- Alexandria, Va.
- Miami, Fla.
- Orlando, Fla.
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Vancouver, Wash.
- Dayton, Ohio
- Murfreesboro, Tenn.
- Columbia, S.C.
- Pittsburgh, Pa.
- Round Rock, Texas
- Clearwater, Fla.
- Las Vegas, Nev.
- Salem, Ore.
- Erie, Pa.
- Everett, Wash.
- Rochester, N.Y.
- Clarksville, Tenn.
- Tallahassee, Fla.
- Billings, Mont.
According to Amazon’s “romantic” data:
- For the second year in a row, Knoxville took the first place spot.
- According to Amazon customers’ purchase habits, Boise, Idaho is the least romantic city in the US.
- For the fourth year in a row, Miami is the sexiest city in the US, winning the top spot in the sexual wellness category. Cambridge, Mass. and Alexandria, Va. round out the top three.
Amazon’s 50 Great American Love Stories feature includes the Amazon Book Editors’ picks for enduring tales of love of all kinds, set in every state in the union. It includes classic tales of romance like Gone with the Wind and The Age of Innocence, along with modern classics like Cold Mountain and The Fault in Our Stars, and even the controversial thriller Gone Girl.
