10 best places for gamers

Gamers may play in a virtual world, but where they live in the real world is just as important, according to real estate site Trulia.

“Fast Internet speeds, a plethora of local game and computer stores, and a peer age-group that lends itself to strong gaming social circles in your area are all important factors in having a legendary gaming experience,” according to Trulia.

With that idea in mind, the site, partnering with Speedtest by Ookla, found the top 10 cities to be a gamer, based on the number of gaming related stores per occupied household, including computer stores, electronics stores and video game stores. They also looked at internet speed data, both download speed and latency (how long it takes to send a message to a server and receive a response), and, third, gamer age demographics.The ESA’s (Entertainment Software Association) 2016 Essential Facts’ gamer age-demographics were matched against the general population age-demographics. Lastly, home affordability was considered using Trulia’s median home listing prices in August of 2016.

Los Angeles was ranked as the best city for gamers, despite its pricey home market being considered in these rankings, as it was in the 90th percentile for every other category.

“..it’s no surprise that some of the biggest gaming tournaments in the world are held in L.A., with League of Legends World Championships taking place for the second time in Los Angeles’ Staples Center,” Trulia wrote in its report.

On the other side of the county, Philadelphia came in second for its fast internet speeds and cheaper housing, despite the lack of electronic stores. It also ranked seventh for gamer ages.

Boston was another city where internet speeds were notable. It is also home to a Penny Arcade eXpo (PAX) convention, “major events for anyone in the gaming world,” along with Seattle, which also made the top 10 list.

Four California metro areas made the list, and dominated when it came to gaming related stores. The top five metros for gaming-related businesses per household are located in California, according to Trulia, with San Jose on top, followed by Ventura County, Los Angeles, Anaheimand San Francisco.

“It’s one thing to read reviews on sound quality for a set of headphones, or the DPI2 on a mouse, but it’s completely different to go into a store to experience yourself,” the site wrote.