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By Joe Edwards
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A recent report from personal finance website WalletHub reveals the top cities in the United States to celebrate New Year’s Eve.
The Context
New Year’s Eve is a major night for celebrations, with people packing into cities for fireworks, parties, dining and live events. WalletHub's latest report could help planners decide where to mark the occasion.
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Source: WalletHub
What To Know
According to WalletHub, the top five cities for celebrations are:
- Orlando, Florida
- Las Vegas
- New York City
- Seattle
- Los Angeles
According to WalletHub, Orlando ranks as the second-most fun city in the U.S. overall, and it also boasts the fourth-highest number of party supply stores and the fifth-most nightlife options per capita.
The report also noted that Orlando puts on a strong fireworks show, and because consumer fireworks are legal there, residents can also stage their own displays.
For those who like shopping, the city has the second-highest number of jewelry shops and the third-most gourmet food stores per capita. It can also be unexpectedly budget-friendly for visitors. The lowest price for a three-star hotel on New Year’s Eve is $66, ranking 24th-cheapest nationwide, WalletHub said.
For second place, the report touted Las Vegas' "dazzling fireworks, world-class entertainment, and vibrant nightlife."
WalletHub also said Las Vegas leads the nation in restaurants per capita as well as affordable eateries rated at least 4.5 stars, as well as having the most music venues and the 16th-most gourmet food stores per capita—and it ranks as the most fun city overall.
WalletHub ranked New York City as third and said it was "one of the most iconic places to ring in the New Year."
The report noted that the city has plenty of affordable restaurants rated at least 4.5 stars, along with the eighth-most party supply stores per capita. New York City also ranked fifth in music venues per capita and has the fourth-most nightlife options per capita among the more than 100 cities in the study, according to WalletHub.
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In last year's iteration of the report, WalletHub ranked New York first and Orlando second.
"Compared to last year, Orlando’s rise to the top and New York’s slip to third on the list were driven mainly by shifts in costs and safety & accessibility, not entertainment appeal," WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo told Newsweek.
"Orlando already led in Entertainment & Food both years, but in 2025 it paired that strength with a much stronger Safety & Accessibility ranking (moving from a very weak rank in 2024 to a midtier position in 2025), while keeping relatively affordable costs, including lower New Year’s Eve hotel prices and solid affordability overall. That balance pushed its total score higher.
"New York, by contrast, remained strong in Entertainment & Food and Safety & Accessibility, but its costs ranking plummeted significantly, ranking last among all cities in 2025. Extremely high prices, especially hotels and event-driven expenses, dragged down its overall score enough to cost it the top spot on the list, even though it continues to offer world-class celebrations and favorable weather conditions," Lupo added.
How It Was Calculated
WalletHub calculated its best cities for New Year’s Eve rankings by comparing the 100 most populated cities across three weighted categories: Entertainment & Food, Costs, and Safety & Accessibility.
To score each city, WalletHub used 26 metrics, each graded on a 100-point scale (where 100=best conditions for celebrating). For certain per capita metrics, WalletHub used the square root of the population "to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across cities."
WalletHub then calculated a weighted average across all metrics to produce each city’s overall score, then ranked cities from highest to lowest. Only the city proper was included in the analysis—not the surrounding metro areas.
What People Are Saying
WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in the report: "Celebrating New Year’s Eve in the right city can turn the holiday into a truly magical experience. The best cities for New Year’s celebrations have clear skies and some of the best fireworks displays around. The top cities also offer an abundance of highly-rated, affordable dining options, along with a vibrant nightlife and plenty of activities to make your transition into the new year a memorable one."
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