2024’s Best Cities to Own a Fireplace

It’s the perfect time of year to cozy up beside a crackling fireplace, but which cities are ideal for owning one?

With winter around the corner, HVAC Gnome ranked 2024’s Best Cities to Own a Fireplace.

We compared the 500 biggest U.S. cities based on 4 categories. We looked at access to fireplace services, chimney sweepers, firewood suppliers, and cold wave risk, among 11 total metrics.

Explore our ranking below. To learn how we ranked the cities, see our methodology.

Contents

• Rankings
• Top 5 Close Up
• The Upshot
• Behind the Ranking
• Home Is Where the Hearth Is

Rankings

See how each city fared in our ranking:

Top 5 Close Up

Check out the slideshow below for highlights on each of our top 5 cities.

The Upshot

Large cities like New York (No. 1), Denver (No. 2), and Houston (No. 3) glow at the top of our ranking, lit up with the highest Demand and best access to fireplace Services and Equipment.

Sitting fireside and skiing go hand in hand, which explains why all 16 Colorado cities smolder in the first half of our ranking — 14 of which finished in the top 100. 

108 California cities extinguished into the bottom half of our ranking, such as San Francisco (No. 251), Fresno (No. 273), and Westminster in last place. Fireplaces are less practical and unpopular in many Golden State cities, with some regions regulating fires and wood-burning devices.

Surprising Findings 

• Fireplaces are primarily ornamental in Los Angeles (No. 5), which claims the most fireplace Services and the 3rd-highest Demand yet lacks the weather necessary for a hearth — falling right behind Honolulu (No. 497) in Climate. 

• Big Texas cities like Houston (No. 3), Dallas (No. 8), and San Antonio (No. 19) flickered to the top, with abundant Services and Equipment. Meanwhile, 39 smaller Lone Star cities landed in the bottom half, lacking necessary Services and Equipment despite high cold wave risk.

Behind the Ranking

First, we determined the factors (metrics) that are most relevant to rank the Best Cities to Own a Fireplace. We then assigned a weight to each factor based on its importance and grouped those factors into 4 categories: Services, Equipment, Demand, and Climate. The categories, factors, and their weights are listed in the table below.

For each of the 500 biggest U.S. cities, we then gathered data on each factor from the sources listed below the table.

Finally, we calculated scores (out of 100 points) for each city to determine its rank in each factor, each category, and overall. A city’s Overall Score is the average of its scores across all factors and categories. The highest Overall Score ranked “Best” (No. 1) and the lowest “Worst” (No. 500). Note: The “Worst” among individual factors may not be No. 500 due to ties.

Sources: Federal Emergency Management Agency, Google Ads, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, The Real Yellow Pages, and Yelp

Home Is Where the Hearth Is

The market for electric fireplaces is heating up and expected to surpass $3 billion by 2030.

Fireplaces are not only an aesthetic addition as a charming centerpiece in your home or backyard, but they’re also a great backup option for when the power goes out. 

Keep in mind that fireplaces are good for supplemental or targeted heat, but wood-burning fireplaces and older appliances are often costlier to use. 

Gas fireplaces, pellet stoves, and newer models of electric fireplaces can be energy-efficient options. Learn about the Most Expensive Cities to Heat a Home in Winter and how to lower your energy bills while keeping warm during the frosty months.

Before you spark your first flames for the season, schedule a chimney inspection from a local certified fireplace professional through HVAC Gnome to ensure your fireplace is safe and ready to run. 

HVAC Gnome is part of the Home Gnome family of home services sites.

Main Photo Credit: Alena Ozerova / Canva Pro / Canva License