Best & Worst Places for 4th of July Celebrations (2026)

Adam McCann, WalletHub Financial WriterJun 25, 2025

Adam McCann, WalletHub Financial Writer
Jun 25, 2025

Fourth of July, or Independence Day, is one of the biggest holidays of the year in the U.S., celebrating the birth of our nation. Americans go all out for the occasion, from elaborate parades to cookouts with extended family and friends. The National Retail Federation projects that this year American households will spend a collective $8.9 billion just on food for Fourth of July celebrations.

In order to help Americans find the best and cheapest places to celebrate this star-spangled occasion, WalletHub compared the 100 largest U.S. cities based on how well they balance holiday cost and fun. Our data set of 18 key metrics ranges from average beer and wine prices to duration of fireworks shows to the Fourth of July weather forecast.

Top 5 Cities for 4th of July Celebrations

Las Vegas, NV
New York, NY
Los Angeles, CA
Minneapolis, MN
St. Paul, MN

“The 4th of July is one of the most beloved holidays in America, allowing many of us to not only celebrate our independence but also get a day off of work and gather together with family and friends. The best cities for the holiday help you make the most of your day, with affordable food options, good weather, fun recreation choices and long, spectacular fireworks shows.”

Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst

Table of Contents

Main Findings

Embed on your website

Best Places to Celebrate 4th of July

Overall Rank	City	Total Score	Fourth of July Celebrations Rank	Affordability Rank	Attractions & Activities Rank	Safety & Accessibility Rank	Fourth of July Weather Rank
1	Las Vegas, NV	72.74	2	18	7	28	30
2	New York, NY	70.22	7	79	1	2	30
3	Los Angeles, CA	64.63	8	32	33	61	11
4	Minneapolis, MN	64.54	27	2	13	24	39
5	St. Paul, MN	63.62	34	13	26	6	21
6	Seattle, WA	62.59	15	87	16	21	3
7	San Diego, CA	62.25	12	82	10	27	30
8	San Francisco, CA	62.23	57	71	1	5	22
9	Orlando, FL	61.99	1	31	25	76	79
10	Sacramento, CA	61.32	11	88	20	78	9
11	Scottsdale, AZ	60.65	44	21	22	53	11
12	Atlanta, GA	59.85	3	14	14	95	96
13	Buffalo, NY	59.35	5	84	28	11	79
14	Kansas City, MO	59.20	10	10	56	91	20
15	Chicago, IL	58.92	19	41	3	10	89
16	Cincinnati, OH	58.76	29	42	5	55	52
17	Washington, DC	58.46	18	81	6	8	67
18	Boston, MA	57.61	36	85	11	4	57
19	Portland, OR	57.48	50	70	12	85	1
20	Miami, FL	57.27	4	63	29	77	99
21	New Orleans, LA	56.94	6	86	18	64	89
22	St. Louis, MO	56.41	31	47	8	75	58
23	Milwaukee, WI	55.62	49	39	19	41	61
24	Columbus, OH	55.55	22	35	37	59	52
25	Oakland, CA	55.49	54	67	47	46	11
26	Madison, WI	55.10	75	49	17	7	66
27	Pittsburgh, PA	54.48	67	55	30	19	44
28	Irvine, CA	54.09	60	94	26	26	46
29	Fremont, CA	53.93	51	76	62	34	18
30	Tucson, AZ	53.57	24	51	54	90	11
31	Anaheim, CA	53.25	28	43	79	17	43
32	North Las Vegas, NV	53.19	80	1	77	18	30
33	Charlotte, NC	52.95	13	19	65	62	62
34	Mesa, AZ	52.51	43	21	78	45	11
35	Raleigh, NC	52.48	41	48	74	31	40
36	Boise, ID	52.24	86	72	50	16	3
37	Long Beach, CA	51.90	47	95	43	35	30
38	Colorado Springs, CO	51.83	30	53	61	29	59
39	Houston, TX	51.78	40	3	14	94	92
40	Dallas, TX	51.74	16	12	33	80	95
41	Omaha, NE	51.71	62	38	36	23	75
42	Denver, CO	51.37	17	77	8	84	100
43	Phoenix, AZ	51.27	89	21	55	87	11
44	Norfolk, VA	51.13	71	90	33	30	50
45	Virginia Beach, VA	50.61	88	90	24	20	45
46	Fresno, CA	50.54	32	59	91	43	11
47	Louisville, KY	50.52	48	52	46	88	52
48	Reno, NV	50.51	83	7	72	50	9
49	Fort Worth, TX	50.50	20	34	67	74	59
50	Albuquerque, NM	50.32	65	46	31	96	49
51	Baltimore, MD	50.15	21	73	53	40	69
52	Jacksonville, FL	50.03	37	62	32	68	77
53	Oklahoma City, OK	49.82	38	28	81	73	47
54	Lincoln, NE	49.74	85	15	43	14	75
55	San Jose, CA	49.68	95	64	50	33	25
56	Santa Ana, CA	49.54	70	43	71	36	25
57	Tulsa, OK	49.25	81	16	57	65	47
58	Gilbert, AZ	49.23	63	21	99	12	3
59	Detroit, MI	49.17	25	56	41	82	73
60	Lexington-Fayette, KY	49.11	58	57	72	79	24
61	Nashville, TN	48.91	9	75	63	97	83
62	Tampa, FL	48.90	23	74	42	69	82
63	Lubbock, TX	48.79	26	80	91	52	27
64	Henderson, NV	48.64	93	5	88	38	1
65	Wichita, KS	48.60	72	4	90	70	29
66	Chandler, AZ	48.37	92	21	79	42	3
67	El Paso, TX	48.35	96	30	59	58	22
68	Anchorage, AK	48.11	35	96	22	51	86
69	Glendale, AZ	48.11	79	36	82	93	3
70	Chula Vista, CA	48.05	46	82	96	9	30
71	Winston-Salem, NC	47.88	77	54	87	37	41
72	St. Petersburg, FL	47.85	74	60	38	47	70
73	Arlington, TX	47.85	39	58	59	56	72
74	Stockton, CA	47.60	55	98	74	39	18
75	Indianapolis, IN	47.54	52	8	74	81	56
76	Chesapeake, VA	47.12	87	90	49	25	50
77	Bakersfield, CA	46.97	42	68	95	67	30
78	San Bernardino, CA	46.83	56	69	100	86	30
79	Durham, NC	46.44	76	29	94	72	28
80	San Antonio, TX	46.22	33	17	50	92	84
81	Greensboro, NC	46.20	69	50	85	60	41
82	Plano, TX	46.14	53	33	47	44	98
83	Riverside, CA	45.92	66	65	88	57	30
84	Memphis, TN	45.83	14	9	70	100	78
85	Irving, TX	44.95	59	20	86	48	65
86	Toledo, OH	44.60	82	45	66	49	73
87	Philadelphia, PA	44.50	90	93	21	63	70
88	Austin, TX	44.24	94	6	39	71	92
89	Fort Wayne, IN	43.39	68	11	91	32	68
90	Honolulu, HI	42.85	97	97	4	15	84
91	Hialeah, FL	41.31	45	89	83	13	89
92	Birmingham, AL	41.29	73	37	40	99	86
93	Corpus Christi, TX	40.98	84	66	68	66	88
94	Garland, TX	40.17	64	26	97	22	97
95	Baton Rouge, LA	40.10	91	27	57	89	94
96	Jersey City, NJ	39.97	99	100	69	1	3
97	Cleveland, OH	39.40	98	40	45	83	63
98	Laredo, TX	39.02	78	61	98	54	64
99	Aurora, CO	37.57	61	77	84	98	79
100	Newark, NJ	36.98	100	99	63	3	52

Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of each city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for each category.

Avg. Beer & Wine Prices

Lowest

Lowest
1. Reno, NV
T-2. Las Vegas, NV
T-2. Henderson, NV
T-2. North Las Vegas, NV
5. Kansas City, MO

Highest

Highest
96. Honolulu, HI
97. Anchorage, AK
98. Pittsburgh, PA
99. Jersey City, NJ
100. Philadelphia, PA

DUI-Related Fatalities per Capita

Fewest

Fewest
T-1. Washington, DC
T-1. Baltimore, MD
T-1. Virginia Beach, VA
T-1. Colorado Springs, CO
T-1. Raleigh, NC
T-1. New Orleans, LA

Most

Most
T-89. Memphis, TN
T-89. Portland, OR
T-89. Cleveland, OH
T-89. Aurora, CO
T-89. Birmingham, AL

3-Star Hotels

Cheapest

Cheapest
1. Memphis, TN
2. Houston, TX
3. Laredo, TX
4. Wichita, KS
5. Orlando, FL

Most Expensive

Most Expensive
96. Anchorage, AK
97. Honolulu, HI
98. New Orleans, LA
99. Irvine, CA
100. Long Beach, CA

Fourth of July Weather Forecast

Best

Best
T-1. Portland, OR
T-1. Henderson, NV
T-3. Seattle, WA
T-3. Jersey City, NJ
T-3. Chandler, AZ
T-3. Gilbert, AZ

Worst

Worst
96. Atlanta, GA
97. Garland, TX
98. Plano, TX
99. Miami, FL
100. Denver, CO

In-Depth Look at the Best Cities for 4th of July

Las Vegas, NV

Las Vegas is the best city for July 4th celebrations, in part because there’s no shortage of things to do, as the city ranks first in entertainment and recreational facilities and has the fourth-most party supply stores per capita.

Las Vegas is also great for grabbing a meal out on Independence Day, as it’s one of the best cities for affordable restaurants with at least 4.5 stars. In addition, people tend to stay safe after drinking, as the city has one of the lowest shares of fatal crashes due to intoxicated driving.

New York, NY

New York is the second-best city for celebrating Independence Day, and it’s also the third-most popular city for people to travel to during the holiday. New York leads the country when it comes to the availability of affordable restaurants with at least 4.5 stars, which is great for people who aren’t holding their own barbecues or who are simply visiting the city.

To top things off, New York has some of the highest-quality parks in the country, as well as some of the best entertainment and recreational facilities to enjoy in the lead-up to the fireworks show. Getting around isn’t an issue even with an influx of tourists, either, since NYC has the best access to public transportation in the nation and is the second-most walkable city.

Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles is the third-best city for 4th of July celebrations, in part because it makes it easy to prepare for a 4th of July bash with the second-most party supply stores per capita. In addition, Los Angeles residents get really excited about the holiday and search Google for terms related to July 4th more than people in most other cities.

To top things off, it’s very unlikely there will be precipitation on the 4th in L.A., and the city has great walkability in addition to a multitude of other recreational activities to enjoy on the day off.

Ask the Experts: Fourth of July Savings Tips

As Americans, we value our freedom a lot, judging by the amount of money we spend on Fourth of July festivities. But there are ways to strut your patriotic stuff — and have a great time doing it — without breaking the bank. For money-saving advice, we asked a panel of experts for their thoughts on the following key questions:

What money-saving tips do you have for people planning to travel for the Fourth of July?
The Fourth of July falls on a Friday this year. How does holiday timing affect people’s spending and travel plans?
Has recent volatility in the economy and the stock market, driven by tariffs and mass layoffs, changed the way Americans celebrate the Fourth of July?
When evaluating the best cities for Fourth of July celebrations, what are the top five indicators?
What are some ways Americans can celebrate the Fourth of July without breaking the bank?

Ask the Experts

Amanda Belarmino
Ph.D., Associate Professor, William F. Harrah College of Hospitality - University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Read More

Jeffery Elsworth
Ph.D. – Associate Professor of Hospitality Business Entrepreneurship, The School of Hospitality Business, Broad College of Business - Michigan State University
Read More

Stephen Zagor
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Food and Restaurant Businesses - Columbia Business School
Read More

Christian E. Hardigree
Regional Chancellor, University of South Florida St. Petersburg and Professor, School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Muma College of Business, USF
Read More

Sotiris Hji-Avgoustis
Ph.D. – Professor of Hospitality Innovation and Leadership; Chairperson – Applied Business Studies, Miller College of Business – Ball State University
Read More

Dallen Timothy
Professor, School of Community Resources and Development, Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions – Arizona State University
Read More

More Experts

Methodology

To determine the best and worst cities for celebrating Independence Day, WalletHub compared the 100 most populated U.S. cities across five key dimensions: 1) Fourth of July Celebrations, 2) Affordability, 3) Attractions & Activities, 4) Safety & Accessibility and 5) Fourth of July Weather Forecast.

We evaluated those dimensions using 18 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for Independence Day fun. For metrics marked with an asterisk (*), the square root of the population was used to calculate the population size in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across cities.

Finally, we determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample. Please note that our sample considers only the city proper in each case and excludes cities in the surrounding metro area.

Fourth of July Celebrations – Total Points: 40

Fourth of July Popularity: Full Weight (~8.89 Points)
Legality of Fireworks: Full Weight (~8.89 Points)
Party Suppliers per Capita*: Half Weight (~4.44 Points)
Duration of Fireworks Show: Full Weight (~8.89 Points)
Google Search Interest for “4th of July Celebration”: Full Weight (~8.89 Points)
Note: This metric measures the real intent of the population to find information about “4th of July Events Near Me”, “4th of July Parade” and “4th of July Activities”.

Affordability – Total Points: 15

Prevalence of Affordable 4.5+ Star Restaurants: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
Average Hamburger Cost: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
Average Beer & Wine Prices: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)
Note: “Beer” refers to a six-pack of 12-ounce Heineken containers, excluding any deposit. “Wine” refers to a 1.5-liter bottle of Chablis, Chenin Blanc or any white table wine.
Lowest Price of a Three-Star Hotel: Full Weight (~3.75 Points)

Attractions & Activities – Total Points: 15

Recreation-Friendliness: Full Weight (~15.00 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Cities for Recreation” ranking of 100 cities’ entertainment options, recreational facilities and parks quality. The ranking includes 45 total metrics such as music venues per capita, parks spending per capita and movie costs.

Safety & Accessibility – Total Points: 15

Walkability: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
Access to Public Transportation: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
Note: This metric measures the share of commuters who use public transit.
Traffic Congestion: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
Pedestrian Fatalities per Capita: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
Crime Rate (Neighborhood Security): Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
DUI-Related Fatalities (July) per Capita: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)

Fourth of July Weather Forecast – Total Points: 15

Difference Between Forecasted Temperature & Normal Temperature for Fourth of July: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Note: For this metric, the city was penalized if its forecasted temperature on Fourth of July is colder than the holiday’s average temperature.
Forecasted Precipitation for Fourth of July: Double Weight (~10.00 Points)

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected as of May 28, 2025 from the U.S. Census Bureau, Council for Community and Economic Research, Priceline.com, Federal Bureau of Investigations, INRIX, American Pyrotechnics Association, Walk Score, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, AccuWeather, Google Ads, Kayak.com, Yelp, each city’s local tourism office and WalletHub research.

Supporting Video Files:

Questions & Answers

Editorial and user-generated content on this page is not reviewed or otherwise endorsed by any financial institution. Please keep in mind that it is not a financial institution’s responsibility to ensure all posts and questions are answered.

Was this article helpful?

Expert Commentary

WalletHub experts are widely quoted. Contact our media team to schedule an interview.

Important Disclosures

Ad Disclosure: Certain offers that appear on this site originate from paying advertisers. For full transparency, here is a list of our current advertisers.

Advertisers compensate WalletHub when you click on a link, or your application is approved, or your account is opened. Advertising impacts how and where offers appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear and their prevalence). At WalletHub we try to present a wide array of offers, but our offers do not represent all financial services companies or products.

Advertising enables WalletHub to provide you proprietary tools, services, and content at no charge. Advertising does not impact WalletHub's editorial content including our best picks, reviews, ratings and opinions. Those are completely independent and not provided, commissioned, or endorsed by any company, as our editors follow a strict editorial policy.

WalletHub is not a financial advisor. Our goal is to provide you with top-notch content, data, and tools. You are responsible for deciding what financial products and providers are best for your needs.

Irrespective of whether an institution or professional is a paid advertiser, the presence of information on WalletHub does not constitute a referral or endorsement of the institution or professional by us or vice versa.

We work hard to show you up-to-date product terms, however, this information does not originate from us and thus, we do not guarantee its accuracy. Actual terms may vary. Before submitting an application, always verify all terms and conditions with the offering institution. Please let us know if you notice any differences.