Seattle just earned another bragging right. A new national ranking from Covers.com places the Emerald City at #7 among U.S. cities for women’s sports, measuring fan turnout, demand, and the strength of the professional sports footprint. The study evaluated everything from pro attendance and collegiate programs to youth participation and media visibility—and Seattle showed up strong across the board.
According to the report, women’s sports are in the middle of a historic surge, fueled by record-breaking crowds, growing media coverage, and grassroots participation. But that growth isn’t evenly distributed. “The strength of that momentum still depends heavily on where you live,” the study notes—and Seattle is clearly good place to be if you love women’s sports. Our ranking was driven by especially strong fan demand and attendance, paired with a solid lineup of professional women’s teams.
The cities topping the list were Los Angeles (#1), followed by New York City, Indianapolis, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Portland. LA took the top spot thanks to elite visibility, strong college programs, and consistently high demand at major venues. And our sometimes-rival Portland stood out with the strongest pro attendance in the country, cementing its reputation as a fiercely loyal women’s sports town. At the opposite end of the rankings, Arlington, Texas landed last among major U.S. cities.
Here’s the full ranking of the top 10 cities for women’s sports:
- Los Angeles
- New York City
- Indianapolis
- Chicago
- Washington, D.C.
- Portland
- Seattle
- Minneapolis
- Kansas City
- San Diego
For Seattle fans, the takeaway is clear: women’s sports aren’t just growing here—they’re thriving. You can see the full study here.