Do you like to play the game of Cornhole? Of course, you do. It’s a tailgating staple and has been around since the 14th century. But were you curious as to which U.S. cities – in the 21st century – offer the best access to casual and competitive cornhole games? Well, wonder no more as our friends at Lawn Starter ranked the 2023 Best Cities for Cornhole Lovers.
They compared the 200 biggest U.S. cities based on three categories – access to cornhole venues, number of cornhole clubs, and the number of cornhole tournaments held annually. You can see how your city scored in their rankings here.
Key Insights
Cornholers are active in major cities across the country, with big cities like Houston, San Diego, and Phoenix slinging to the top of the ranking. These three cities each offer plenty of cornhole venues, clubs, and tournaments for those with a competitive streak.
New Jersey is missing out on the cornhole craze. All three Garden State cities — Paterson, Jersey City, and Newark — disappoint at the bottom, lacking cornhole venues, clubs, and events.
Standout Stats
Texas Throwdown
- Houston tossed to the top with the most cornhole clubs and the 3rd-highest number of cornhole venues. Space City also hosted 374 cornhole tournaments in the past year, the 6th-highest number in our ranking.
California Catapults
- 25 Golden State cities cast their way into the first half of the ranking. Folks don’t need their own boards in San Jose which offers the most cornhole venues. Sunny San Diego tied with Phoenix for the most American Cornhole League (ACL) Directors.
Tourney Time
- Wichita, Kansas hosted the most cornhole tournaments in the past year — an astounding 666. Indianapolis follows closely behind with 564 tournaments, and Albuquerque, New Mexico claims the 3rd-highest number, 541. These Scoreholio tournaments are a mix of casual and competitive events hosted by local leagues.
Professional Pitches
- Salem, Oregon — the only Beaver State city to finish in the top 100 — scheduled the most ACL events so far for the upcoming year, followed by Chicago and Chesapeake, Virginia. Players compete in these events if they aspire to qualify for the ACL World Championships.
Virginia Is for Cornhole Lovers
- Five Old Dominion cities launched in the upper half of our leaderboard, with Virginia Beach ranking in the top 10. Resort City offers the best overall access, with plenty of park and yard space, as well as the 2nd-highest number of cornhole venues.
Big-City Interest
- New York, Los Angeles, and Houston boast the top three highest cornhole-related Google search volumes, respectively. Unfortunately for cornhole-curious New Yorkers and Angelenos, their cities have scarce access to cornhole venues or spacious backyards. NYC also lacks ACL leagues and directors.
Whether you dream of going pro or just play for fun, cornhole is a great way to connect with loved ones or make new friends. With some practice and a kernel of luck, anyone can become a cornhole champion.