My Hometown: One of Most Well-Read Cities in the US

I know I buy a lot of ebooks, but I can't really take credit (alone) for my hometown making it to #11 on the list. In fact, we beat out a number of cities much larger than we are. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. We managed to escape the recent round of Borders closures and have an ever-busy large used bookstore, as well as having 4 large chain bookstores, at least one University bookstore (and press) and numerous small bookstores.  And, I see a number of Kindles and even nookColors when out in town, in addition to paperbacks and hardcovers being read at the solo tables in restaurants.

So, tell me: did your town make the list?

Amazon.com Reveals the Most Well-Read Cities in America

Cambridge, Mass., tops the list with the most books, magazines and newspapers purchased per capita of any city in the United States

SEATTLE, May 26, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

(NASDAQ: AMZN)--Just in time for the summer reading season, Amazon.com announced its list of the Top 20 Most Well-Read Cities in America. After compiling sales data of all book, magazine and newspaper sales in both print and Kindle format since Jan. 1, 2011, on a per capita basis in cities with more than 100,000 residents, the Top 20 Most Well-Read Cities are:

1. Cambridge, Mass.
2. Alexandria, Va.
3. Berkeley, Calif.
4. Ann Arbor, Mich.
5. Boulder, Colo.
6. Miami
7. Salt Lake City
8. Gainesville, Fla.
9. Seattle
10. Arlington, Va.
11. Knoxville, Tenn.
12. Orlando, Fla.
13. Pittsburgh
14. Washington, D.C.
15. Bellevue, Wash.
16. Columbia, S.C.
17. St. Louis, Mo.
18. Cincinnati
19. Portland, Ore.
20. Atlanta

In taking a closer look at the data, Amazon.com also found that:

• Not only do they like to read, but they like to know the facts: Cambridge, Mass.--home to the prestigious Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology--also topped the list of cities that ordered the most nonfiction books.
• Boulder, Colo., lives up to its reputation as a healthy city by topping the list of cities that order the most books in the Cooking, Food & Wine category.
• Alexandria, Va., residents must be reading a lot of bedtime stories - they topped the list of the city that orders the most children's books.
• Summer reading weather all year long? Florida was the state with the most cities in the Top 20, with Miami, Gainesville and Orlando making the list.

"In anticipation of the summer reading season--one of our favorite times to catch up on pleasure reading and unwind with the new titles being published this season--we're excited to reveal the Most Well-Read City list," said Mari Malcolm, managing editor of Books, Amazon.com. "We hope book lovers across the country enjoy this fun look at where the most voracious readers reside, and that everyone gets the chance to relax with some great summer reads."

For summer reading suggestions for adults, teens and kids, please visit:

• Adults -- www.amazon.com/summerbooks
• Teens -- www.amazon.com/summerbooksforteens
• Kids -- www.amazon.com/summerbooksforkids