2020’s Best Cities For Christmas

by Soraya Alcalá 12/15/2020

written by Soraya Alcalá 12/15/2020

WalletHub Study

Christmas is considered by many to be “the most wonderful time of the year,” but in 2020 it may be one of the most stressful times of the year. Americans have to decide how they will observe the holiday while still staying safe in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people will also have to adjust their spending plans due to the financial impact of the pandemic, though overall spending is still expected to increase compared to last year.

There are still plenty of ways to keep the Christmas spirit alive while social distancing and without breaking the bank, though, such as having video calls with loved ones, getting takeout from your favorite local restaurant, and attending online church services if you’re religious.

In order to determine which cities will offer a holly jolly holiday even amid the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic, WalletHub compared the 100 biggest U.S. cities based on 15 key indicators of a safe and affordable Christmas. Our data set ranges from COVID-19 cases to the availability of Christmas traditions to the city’s overall generosity.

Best Places for Christmas

Overall Rank (1 = Best)	City	Total Score	‘Safery’	‘Traditions & Food’	‘Observance’	‘Generosity’
1	Durham, NC	68.16	17	5	51	5
2	San Jose, CA	67.99	3	46	62	6
3	Honolulu, HI	67.92	1	75	44	24
4	Oakland, CA	67.09	5	71	35	9
5	Raleigh, NC	67.00	16	11	40	7
6	Pittsburgh, PA	66.95	18	86	9	10
7	San Francisco, CA	66.86	2	84	56	8
8	Portland, OR	65.80	4	65	48	15
9	Plano, TX	63.70	12	16	70	16
10	Seattle, WA	63.20	11	95	66	1
11	Sacramento, CA	62.65	15	41	39	36
12	Virginia Beach, VA	62.49	7	62	85	17
13	Atlanta, GA	62.37	43	37	14	4
14	Kansas City, MO	61.28	8	77	29	62
15	San Diego, CA	60.72	9	39	37	83
16	Cincinnati, OH	60.62	29	19	10	66
17	Cleveland, OH	60.50	28	50	4	55
18	Austin, TX	60.06	22	9	46	72
19	Madison, WI	59.85	25	26	72	2
20	Chesapeake, VA	59.58	13	74	73	25
21	Fort Worth, TX	59.53	32	14	27	32
22	Houston, TX	59.37	37	15	7	74
23	Dallas, TX	58.80	34	18	18	54
24	Fremont, CA	58.75	5	97	93	14
25	Birmingham, AL	58.69	63	30	1	38
26	Irvine, CA	58.61	19	76	80	13
27	Santa Ana, CA	58.36	19	40	78	48
28	Charlotte, NC	58.31	26	51	31	29
29	Orlando, FL	58.08	36	7	17	78
30	St. Louis, MO	56.91	59	27	6	47
31	Norfolk, VA	56.70	14	93	63	52
32	Anaheim, CA	56.67	19	60	65	64
33	Washington, DC	56.65	56	92	13	3
34	Los Angeles, CA	56.62	53	17	12	46
35	Oklahoma City, OK	56.56	41	25	20	63
36	Greensboro, NC	56.29	23	68	42	97
37	Chula Vista, CA	54.96	9	78	92	80
38	Buffalo, NY	54.78	48	20	15	79
39	Memphis, TN	54.56	66	33	8	44
40	Tampa, FL	54.47	51	36	36	40
41	Tucson, AZ	54.41	49	13	50	68
42	Jacksonville, FL	54.29	60	44	25	31
43	Fresno, CA	54.11	27	55	49	81
44	Columbus, OH	53.86	31	64	41	56
45	Colorado Springs, CO	53.82	30	49	74	60
46	Tulsa, OK	53.23	47	57	28	84
47	Lincoln, NE	52.91	39	54	75	30
48	Baltimore, MD	52.87	65	61	16	35
49	Philadelphia, PA	52.82	87	1	5	50
50	San Antonio, TX	52.77	57	21	23	73
51	Albuquerque, NM	52.50	35	42	59	90
52	Indianapolis, IN	52.35	82	10	21	21
53	Denver, CO	52.15	71	6	45	22
54	Winston-Salem, NC	52.08	24	82	64	94
55	Las Vegas, NV	51.28	73	2	38	39
56	Lexington-Fayette, KY	50.88	50	52	67	70
57	Arlington, TX	50.73	52	43	81	41
58	Wichita, KS	50.41	42	67	34	99
59	Irving, TX	49.95	61	29	82	28
60	Louisville, KY	49.76	62	81	19	59
61	Chicago, IL	49.27	92	23	3	19
62	Long Beach, CA	49.07	53	53	57	69
63	Minneapolis, MN	48.80	84	45	22	33
64	Omaha, NE	48.75	69	48	43	53
65	Bakersfield, CA	48.61	46	70	53	98
66	Nashville, TN	48.57	68	89	33	27
67	Garland, TX	48.45	45	83	84	49
68	Milwaukee, WI	48.07	72	59	24	61
69	Riverside, CA	48.04	33	87	69	82
70	Boise, ID	47.61	64	34	71	77
71	Gilbert, AZ	47.11	76	4	97	26
72	New York, NY	46.99	88	99	2	11
73	Anchorage, AK	46.98	38	96	88	37
74	Stockton, CA	46.10	40	100	76	71
75	Detroit, MI	45.53	89	8	11	89
76	St. Petersburg, FL	45.42	58	63	86	76
77	Aurora, CO	45.41	55	80	90	51
78	Phoenix, AZ	45.40	76	22	79	45
79	Toledo, OH	45.37	67	56	47	95
80	St. Paul, MN	44.42	83	79	32	42
81	Reno, NV	44.41	70	66	94	23
82	Glendale, AZ	44.16	76	3	95	75
83	Chandler, AZ	44.14	76	32	96	34
84	San Bernardino, CA	43.84	44	72	87	93
85	Mesa, AZ	42.44	76	58	89	43
86	Fort Wayne, IN	41.88	85	38	55	91
87	Newark, NJ	41.26	91	35	26	67
88	Scottsdale, AZ	41.22	76	98	91	12
89	Baton Rouge, LA	41.18	86	69	54	85
90	Miami, FL	39.30	98	28	30	58
91	Henderson, NV	38.97	73	73	98	57
92	New Orleans, LA	38.11	90	85	52	65
93	Jersey City, NJ	36.90	95	91	68	18
94	Boston, MA	36.48	94	94	77	20
95	El Paso, TX	35.40	97	31	61	92
96	Lubbock, TX	34.06	93	88	58	87
97	North Las Vegas, NV	33.34	73	90	100	86
98	Corpus Christi, TX	33.16	96	24	60	100
99	Laredo, TX	30.16	100	12	83	96
100	Hialeah, FL	30.04	98	47	99	88

Soraya Alcalá

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