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Boston beat out such humorous municipalities as Minneapolis, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C.
A recent study conducted by TicketSource found that Boston is the funniest city in the United States. In response, Boston said, “I’m funny how? I mean, funny like I’m a clown? I amuse you? I make you laugh? I’m here to &^%$! amuse you?”
OK, so actually Boston has yet to issue an official response that we know of. But it strikes us as the type of reaction Bostonians would have to such an honor: Yeah, we know we’re funny, but don’t need you to tell us we’re funny. We’ll tell you when we’re funny, capiche?
So how did TicketSource come to this conclusion? Well, they cite “Comedy Data,” which are two words you don’t see together too often. In particular, Boston has a “mix of strong ticket demand, local comedians, and a high concentration of comedy venues per capita,” TicketSource found. “Venues like The Wilbur, Laugh Boston, and Improv Asylum rotate lineups consistently, giving audiences plenty of chances to catch live comedy beyond headline tours.” (We agree, which is one of the reasons we always like to spotlight Boston’s must-see comedy shows.)
What those results are really saying, though, is that Boston is the top consumer of comedy, well ahead of the No. 2 funniest city, that laugh riot known as Washington, D.C. But does that really make us the funniest? Maybe we’re just so consumed with existential dread that we’re seeking out comedy to help us through our morose collective existence.
More likely, though, is that we really are the funniest city — but not for the reasons cited by TicketSource. It’s more because of the things everyday Bostonians say when they’re ordering their ice coffee, or yelling at a sports bar TV, or trying to give directions to a tourist. (“What paht a ‘uey’ didn’t I make cleah, chief?” etc.)
Funniest Cities in the U.S., per TicketSource
| Rank | City | State | No. of comedy clubs & venues* | Comedy ticket demand (comedy-related searches) | No. of notable comedians born in the city | No. of ticketed comedy events* | Comedy score /10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston | Massachusetts | 12 | 206,790 | 22 | 14.3 | 8.17 |
| 2 | Washington | District of Columbia | 8 | 190,170 | 25 | 14 | 7.69 |
| 3= | San Francisco | California | 6.4 | 156,090 | 19 | 33.2 | 7.41 |
| 3= | Atlanta | Georgia | 16.3 | 209,410 | 18 | 8.8 | 7.41 |
| 5 | Orlando | Florida | 17 | 143,120 | 6 | 14.3 | 7.02 |
| 6 | St. Louis | Missouri | 8.2 | 75,820 | 19 | 25.7 | 6.93 |
| 7 | Seattle | Washington | 8.8 | 116,210 | 12 | 14.2 | 6.54 |
| 8 | Miami | Florida | 14.2 | 47,530 | 10 | 24.8 | 6.44 |
| 9 | Minneapolis | Minnesota | 16.3 | 57,420 | 8 | 18 | 6.35 |
| 10 | Chicago | Illinois | 2.8 | 405,560 | 82 | 6.1 | 6.25 |
*per 100,000 people, ticketed comedy events over the next 90 days (from January to March 2026)
But whadda we know? You tell us: Is Boston really that funny? Why or why not? Take the survey below, or email [email protected], and we may use your response in an upcoming article.
How funny is Boston, exactly?
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