Best and Worst Cities to Celebrate Fourth of July

This Fourth of July holiday is expected to see a record number of travelers venture out to celebrate American independence.

However, not all destinations are created equal when it comes to a July 4th celebration.

Personal finance website WalletHub recently compared the 100 largest U.S. cities across 18 key metrics of Independence Day fun and costs, including factors such as average beer and wine prices, the duration of local fireworks displays, and the July 4th weather forecast.

Those metrics were spread across five key dimensions, including Fourth of July celebrations (40 points), affordability (15 points), attractions and activities (15 points), safety and accessibility (15 points) and Fourth of July weather forecast (15 points), with each city earning a score on a 100-point scale.

Las Vegas, which ranks second in the all-important Fourth of July celebrations dimension and seventh for attractions and activities, secures the top spot for 2025, with an overall score of 72.74.

The Entertainment Capital of the World is tied for the second-lowest average beer and wine prices this summer and also boasts one of the nation's better holiday weather forecasts.

Meanwhile, New York City, which ranks first for attractions and activities and second for safety and accessibility, was the only other destination to score better than 70 points, ranking second overall with a score of 70.22.

New York ranks first for July 4th attractions and activities, according to WalletHub. (Photo Credit: Volodymyr/Adobe)

California is well-represented in the top 10, with four cities—Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Sacramento—earning an overall score of 61 or better. The Bay Area ranks first for attractions and activities and fifth for safety and accessibility this year.

Best US Cities for a July 4th Celebration

1. Las Vegas, Nevada - 72.74
2. New York, New York - 70.22
3. Los Angeles, California - 64.63
4. Minneapolis, Minnesota - 64.54
5. St. Paul, Minnesota - 63.62
6. Seattle, Washington - 62.59
7. San Diego, California - 62.25
8. San Francisco, California - 62.23
9. Orlando, Florida - 61.99
10. Sacramento, California - 61.32

On the other end of the spectrum, Newark, New Jersey, has the unfortunate distinction of ranking 100th on WalletHub's list of the best and worst cities to celebrate the Fourth of July in 2025.

The city earned an overall score of just 36.98, ranking a dismal 100th for July 4th celebrations, 99th for affordability and 63rd for attractions and activities. Nearby Jersey City (39.97) didn't fare much better, ranking 99th for Fourth of July celebrations and 100th for affordability.

Some Southern cities also earned unflattering scores, including Laredo (39.02), Garland (40.17) and Corpus Christi (40.98) in Texas; Baton Rouge, Louisiana (40.10) and Birmingham, Alabama (41.29).

Worst US Cities for a July 4th Celebration

1. Newark, New Jersey - 36.98
2. Aurora, Colorado - 37.57
3. Laredo, Texas - 39.02
4. Cleveland, Ohio - 39.40
5. Jersey City, New Jersey - 39.97
6. Baton Rouge, Louisiana - 40.10
7. Garland, Texas - 40.17
8. Corpus Christi, Texas - 40.98
9. Birmingham, Alabama - 41.29
10. Hialeah, Florida - 41.31

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