Best & Worst Places for 4th of July Celebrations

Adam McCann, Financial WriterJun 27, 2022

Adam McCann, Financial Writer
Jun 27, 2022

While Fourth of July celebrations were limited during the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s events should be able to proceed fairly normally thanks to our vaccination efforts. Americans are already gearing up for this major holiday, too. The National Retail Federation projects that American households this year will spend a collective $7.7 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 21 key metrics ranges from average beer and wine prices to duration of fireworks shows to the Fourth of July weather forecast.

Make sure to also check out WalletHub’s 4th of July Facts & Figures infographic for fun facts about the holiday.

Table of Contents

Main Findings

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Best Places to Celebrate 4th of July

Overall Rank	City	Total Score	Fourth of July Celebrations	Affordability	Attractions & Activities	Safety & Accessibility	Fourth of July Weather
1	San Francisco, CA	73.30	9	67	2	6	1
2	Los Angeles, CA	73.19	1	52	36	41	57
3	Washington, DC	72.66	5	94	7	8	30
4	Atlanta, GA	70.62	3	60	21	79	45
5	Las Vegas, NV	70.02	14	7	14	47	12
6	New York, NY	68.34	2	96	1	7	99
7	San Diego, CA	68.28	7	87	5	28	45
8	Seattle, WA	67.86	11	100	13	4	1
9	Orlando, FL	66.77	4	22	24	62	81
10	New Orleans, LA	66.12	15	82	4	58	30
11	Miami, FL	65.78	6	62	32	29	61
12	Houston, TX	64.57	8	6	20	89	71
13	Chicago, IL	64.06	16	71	3	24	79
14	San Antonio, TX	63.52	20	18	34	52	30
15	Milwaukee, WI	62.90	10	39	19	44	84
16	Cincinnati, OH	62.34	50	47	12	43	12
17	Dallas, TX	62.33	17	40	38	82	12
18	San Jose, CA	62.28	53	5	51	15	1
19	Sacramento, CA	62.28	38	46	22	40	1
20	St. Louis, MO	61.49	13	63	8	94	73
21	Denver, CO	61.48	12	58	11	36	90
22	Austin, TX	60.72	18	31	48	74	30
23	Fremont, CA	60.19	24	79	56	11	1
24	Portland, OR	59.70	37	88	18	30	1
25	Cleveland, OH	59.66	32	14	40	46	51
26	St. Paul, MN	59.17	21	33	30	18	88
27	Pittsburgh, PA	59.17	42	73	32	14	30
28	Boston, MA	58.90	35	98	8	12	66
29	Albuquerque, NM	58.64	19	51	15	81	83
30	Scottsdale, AZ	57.23	45	8	29	60	67
31	Irvine, CA	57.17	46	81	23	20	72
32	Charlotte, NC	57.10	33	25	46	86	38
33	Minneapolis, MN	57.09	25	32	8	13	97
34	Plano, TX	56.98	49	21	48	39	45
35	Fort Worth, TX	56.62	29	4	64	76	12
36	Columbus, OH	55.81	67	11	45	53	38
37	Aurora, CO	55.31	27	58	54	75	55
38	Nashville, TN	55.02	23	61	60	87	45
39	Raleigh, NC	54.72	61	34	65	26	38
40	Virginia Beach, VA	54.69	57	92	36	33	12
41	Reno, NV	53.89	82	13	66	63	1
42	Oakland, CA	53.80	52	80	66	9	1
43	El Paso, TX	53.74	22	77	55	21	85
44	Boise, ID	53.53	84	54	61	23	1
45	Philadelphia, PA	53.39	41	38	17	34	93
46	Irving, TX	53.38	30	27	85	66	30
47	Santa Ana, CA	53.36	43	42	77	19	57
48	Norfolk, VA	53.26	71	92	31	37	12
49	Jacksonville, FL	53.15	90	15	43	80	38
50	Phoenix, AZ	52.94	44	8	62	68	67
51	Omaha, NE	52.71	91	53	27	32	76
52	Louisville, KY	52.55	63	45	48	84	12
53	Lexington-Fayette, KY	52.34	75	12	91	42	12
54	Honolulu, HI	52.01	64	86	6	17	91
55	Baltimore, MD	51.89	59	74	28	57	73
56	Fort Wayne, IN	51.88	31	19	94	70	50
57	Chesapeake, VA	51.75	47	95	52	91	12
58	Durham, NC	51.39	79	1	93	35	30
59	Greensboro, NC	51.15	83	35	80	45	30
60	Anaheim, CA	50.92	66	42	72	27	54
61	Long Beach, CA	50.83	70	83	47	31	57
62	Fresno, CA	50.75	77	23	84	72	12
63	Hialeah, FL	50.67	36	97	81	10	64
64	Colorado Springs, CO	50.58	58	85	58	38	64
65	Detroit, MI	50.57	34	49	52	93	73
66	Buffalo, NY	50.51	28	84	26	16	98
67	Tucson, AZ	50.49	26	65	40	88	89
68	Bakersfield, CA	50.27	54	17	97	92	12
69	Laredo, TX	50.15	94	41	95	2	12
70	Corpus Christi, TX	50.06	95	37	57	59	45
71	North Las Vegas, NV	49.58	92	70	71	51	1
72	Madison, WI	49.43	98	56	15	3	93
73	Riverside, CA	49.36	51	72	92	71	12
74	Indianapolis, IN	49.26	62	44	72	83	43
75	Gilbert, AZ	49.04	40	24	99	50	62
76	Kansas City, MO	49.00	89	30	44	96	52
77	Lincoln, NE	48.63	97	66	39	22	78
78	Chula Vista, CA	48.39	48	90	98	25	12
79	Mesa, AZ	48.31	55	28	86	55	69
80	Stockton, CA	48.26	56	89	78	90	1
81	Arlington, TX	47.82	65	48	87	77	12
82	Chandler, AZ	47.67	76	28	79	54	62
83	Anchorage, AK	47.25	39	99	25	85	92
84	Glendale, AZ	47.17	88	20	72	69	56
85	Tampa, FL	46.65	78	55	42	48	87
86	Wichita, KS	46.57	73	3	87	67	77
87	Henderson, NV	46.46	99	26	72	49	12
88	Tulsa, OK	46.36	85	2	69	73	81
89	Toledo, OH	46.06	93	78	66	78	53
90	Lubbock, TX	46.02	68	69	87	95	38
91	Baton Rouge, LA	45.60	69	10	63	97	80
92	Birmingham, AL	45.50	72	36	81	98	70
93	Garland, TX	45.15	80	50	96	64	12
94	St. Petersburg, FL	44.09	74	76	35	56	95
95	Oklahoma City, OK	43.73	81	16	83	65	86
96	Winston-Salem, NC	43.12	100	75	90	61	12
97	Memphis, TN	42.99	96	64	76	100	44
98	Newark, NJ	42.82	60	91	58	5	100
99	Jersey City, NJ	42.55	87	57	69	1	96
100	San Bernardino, CA	39.19	86	68	100	99	57

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

Avg. Beer & Wine Prices

Lowest

Lowest
1. Durham, NC
2. Indianapolis, IN
3. Fresno, CA
4. Corpus Christi, TX
5. Milwaukee, WI

Highest

Highest
T-96. Hialeah, FL
T-96. Miami, FL
98. New York, NY
99. Seattle, WA
100. Atlanta, GA

DUI-Related Fatalities per Capita

Fewest

Fewest
T-1. San Francisco, CA
T-1. Boise, ID
T-1. Virginia Beach, VA
T-1. Greensboro, NC
T-1. Newark, NJ
T-1. Laredo, TX

Most

Most
94. Charlotte, NC
95. Detroit, MI
96. Memphis, TN
T-97. Toledo, OH
T-97. St. Louis, MO

3-Star Hotels

Cheapest

Cheapest
T-1. Orlando, FL
T-1. Wichita, KS
T-1. Tulsa, OK
T-4. Houston, TX
T-4. Oklahoma City, OK

Most Expensive

Most Expensive
T-94. Chula Vista, CA
T-94. Anchorage, AK
T-94. Chesapeake, VA
T-94. Virginia Beach, VA
T-94. Norfolk, VA

Fourth of July Weather Forecast

Best

Best
T-1. San Francisco, CA
T-1. Boise, ID
T-1. Seattle, WA
T-1. Fremont, CA
T-1. Sacramento, CA
T-1. North Las Vegas, NV

Worst

Worst
96. Jersey City, NJ
97. Minneapolis, MN
98. Buffalo, NY
99. New York, NY
100. Newark, NJ

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?
Fourth of July falls on a Monday this year. How does holiday timing affect people’s spending and travel plans?
How has the pandemic changed the way Americans celebrate 4th of July?
When evaluating the best cities for Fourth of July celebrations, what are the top five indicators?

Ask the Experts

H. G. Parsa
MS, MS, Ph.D., CHIA, FMP – Fulbright Scholar; Barron Hilton Chair in Lodging & Professor; Associate Editor, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly; Associate Editor, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research (5.16 impact factor); Associate Editor, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Cases – University of Denver
Read More

James Raad
Ph.D. student, Howard Feiertag Department of Hospitality & Tourism Management – Virginia Tech
Read More

Deborah C. Fowler
Ph.D. – Professor & Associate Chairperson, Hospitality and Retail Management, College of Human Sciences – Texas Tech University
Read More

Suzanne Bagnera
Ph.D. – Hospitality and Culinary Management, Director of Hospitality Institute – Indian River State College
Read More

R. Scott Meuret
Lecturer, Department of Hospitality Management and Tourism – University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment
Read More

Deepak Chhabra
Ph.D. – School of Community Resources and Development; Affiliate Faculty, Center for Sustainable Tourism; Affiliate Faculty, Center for Asian Research; Senior Sustainability Scientist, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory – Arizona State University
Read More

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 21 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 (~6.15 Points)
Legality of Fireworks: Full Weight (~6.15 Points)
Number of Fourth of July Festivals & Performances: Full Weight (~6.15 Points)
Note: Based on Fourth of July events listed on Eventbrite.com as of April 11, 2022.
Party Suppliers per Capita*: Half Weight (~3.08 Points)
Average Price of Fourth of July Party Ticket: Full Weight (~6.15 Points)
Note: Averages are based on Fourth of July events listed on Eventbrite.com as of April 11, 2022, where at least two events were available.
Duration of Fireworks Show: Full Weight (~6.15 Points)
Google Search Interest for “4th of July Celebration”: Full Weight (~6.15 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 (~1.88 Points)
Access to Public Transportation: Full Weight (~1.88 Points)
Note: This metric measures the share of commuters who use public transit.
Traffic Congestion: Full Weight (~1.88 Points)
Pedestrian Fatalities per Capita: Full Weight (~1.88 Points)
Crime Rate (Neighborhood Security): Full Weight (~1.88 Points)
DUI-Related Fatalities (July) per Capita: Full Weight (~1.88 Points)
Percentage of Residents Who Are Fully Vaccinated: Double Weight (~3.75 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 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, Eventbrite, AccuWeather, Google Ads, Kayak.com, Yelp, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, each city’s local tourism office and WalletHub research.

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