The personal finance website WalletHub recently ranked Orlando among the top 20 cities for basketball fans in the United States.
Earlier this month, WalletHub released its report on the best and worst cities for basketball fans. The City Beautiful ranked 17th out of nearly 300 cities across the United States.
To determine the rankings, researchers compared the cities across several key metrics, including the performance level of each city’s NBA and NCAA Division I basketball teams, average ticket prices, stadium capacity, and overall fan engagement.
Orlando received favorable marks for its NBA franchise, the Orlando Magic, along with the team’s dedicated local fanbase. The city’s NBA arena, the Kia Center, also received high praise for its accessibility, with the venue tying for first place with the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, which is home to the Utah Jazz.
Established in 1989, the Orlando Magic play their home games at the Kia Center located at 400 W Church Street downtown Orlando. The franchise recently dismissed head coach Jamahl Mosley after an injury-riddled season ended with a first-round playoff exit.
In addition to the city’s NBA franchise, Orlando hosts the University of Central Florida, with the men’s and women’s basketball teams competing against top-tier programs in the Big 12 Conference.
On the national level, Los Angeles, California, took the top spot on WalletHub’s list, followed closely by Boston, Massachusetts (2nd) and San Francisco, California (3rd). Meanwhile, the city of West Haven, Connecticut, finished at the very bottom of the national rankings.
Multiple other Florida cities were recognized by WalletHub in their latest rankings, including Miami (#4), Gainesville (#153), DeLand (#181), Tallahassee (#187), Jacksonville (#233), Fort Myers (#248), Boca Raton (#280), Tampa (#282), and Daytona Beach (#297).
To view the complete list, visit WalletHub’s 2026 Best & Worst Cities for Basketball Fans webpage.