Map Shows US Cities With the Highest and Lowest Holiday B...

By Hugh Cameron

U.S. News Reporter

ShareNewsweek is a Trust Project member

The holiday season is an expensive time of the year for Americans, but the amount households spend differs widely across the country.

According to a recent analysis by the personal finance website WalletHub, which examined over 550 U.S. cities, the amount one needs to budget for the holidays can range from a little over $200 to nearly $4,500 in America’s costliest areas.

Why It Matters

Americans are grappling with higher costs and other financial headwinds this season, challenges that some have warned could affect retailers during the make-or-break shopping period. However, early data from Thanksgiving weekend indicates that consumer spending has been robust and achieved a new Black Friday high in 2025—with the caveat that elevated prices and higher-income shopping has driven many of these gains.

What To Know

WalletHub’s rankings were based on an analysis of 558 cities, using factors such as income, debt levels, and average expenses, and its proprietary algorithm to determine the average holiday budget for each city.

California, in particular the San Francisco Bay Area, dominated the rankings, accounting for six of the top 10 cities with the highest holiday budgets in the United States. Palo Alto led the list with an average holiday budget of $4,485, a figure WalletHub noted as unsurprising given it enjoys the highest median income in the country at nearly $229,000.

The remaining cities in WalletHub’s top 10 were:

2 Mountain View, California: $4,266
3 Newton, Massachusetts: $4,069
4 Flower Mound, Texas: $3,941
5 Kirkland, Washington: $3,866
6 Milpitas, California: $3,702
7 Sunnyvale, California: $3,691
8 Santa Clara, California: $3,690
9 Redwood City, California: $3,627
10 Bellevue, Washington: $3,603

On the other end of the ranking—and spending less than 5 percent of Palo Alto residents—is Elisabeth, New Jersey, with an average budget of $212.

557 Hartford, Connecticut: $332
556 Passaic, New Jersey: $510
555 Harlingen, Texas: $580
554 Reading, Pennsylvania: $613
553 Canton, Ohio: $622
552 Gainesville, Florida: $632
551 Shreveport, Louisiana: $666
550 Macon-Bibb County, Georgia: $669
549 Baton Rouge, Louisiana: $674

What People Are Saying

WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo wrote: “Depending on the city, an American’s holiday budget this year can range anywhere from just over $200 to more than $4,000, taking into account residents’ income, their existing debt obligations and the cost of living. Regardless of how well-off you are this season, it’s important to stick to a budget that fits your financial profile so you don’t rack up unsustainable debt and end up in a bad position after the holidays. There are plenty of ways to enjoy the holidays and show you care without spending much money, like hosting potlucks or giving handmade gifts.”

What Happens Next

According to Adobe estimates released on Monday, U.S. retailers raked in $11.8 billion in Black Friday online sales this year, up 9.1 percent from 2024. Early data suggests that Cyber Monday sales also jumped by more than expected, helping push total holiday-season sales toward the $253 billion Adobe projected in October.

Request Reprint & LicensingSubmit CorrectionView Editorial & AI Guidelines