New Ranking: Berkeley Not in Top 7 U.S. Hippie Towns

Published Aug. 18, 2013, 11:25 p.m.; updated Aug. 26, 3:35 p.m.

Berkeley may still reign as the hippie capital of America in the realm of die-hard stereotypes, but it falls to number eight in a recent ranking of "best U.S. cities for hippies."

Taking first place is Eugene, Ore., followed by Olympia, Wash., in second, and Asheville, N.C., third.

Also topping Berkeley are Boulder, Colo. (4th), Portland, Ore. (5th), Burlington, Vt. (6th) and Ithaca, N.Y. (7th).

The ranking was compiled by Estately.com, a Seattle-based online real estate company with a penchant for compiling curious "best" lists, including "11 Best States for Bigfoot to Live" and "13 Best U.S. Cities for Mermaids to Live."

The ranking for hippie-friendly cities was derived from "a formula based on marijuana availability and legality, number of stores selling hemp, local counter-culture icons, tie-dye availability, hippie festivals, progressive government, intensity of Occupy protests, and a Facebook poll," according to Estately.com.

While pot-smoking remains popular in Berkeley, the assessment found, "the tie-dyed glory of the past is slowly burning out just like so many Berkeley hippies did before."

Eugene took first place "hands down," Estately.com said. "Eugene wins this thing by a mile."

Fans of Berkeley's hippie image, however, needn't feel totally bummed. San Francisco, home of the Haight-Ashbury flower children cradle, ranked 15th out of 17 total.

And Santa Cruz? It didn't even make the list – to the shock of Santa Cruz Patch.