Thanksgiving is one of America’s most beloved holidays, giving families a chance to share a meal together and reflect on all the things for which they are grateful. The first Thanksgiving dates back to Plymouth, MA in 1621, and each U.S. president declared a yearly celebration of the holiday until Theodore Roosevelt signed Thanksgiving into law permanently in 1941.
But even though Thanksgiving is centered on family and gratefulness, it’s still become a highly commercialized holiday. That’s apparent from the fact that the next day is Black Friday, one of the biggest shopping days of the year. A survey by the National Retail Federation also found that 34 million people planned to shop on Thanksgiving day in 2018. Luckily, though, it doesn’t cost too much to make a Thanksgiving feast for your family – around $50 on average for 10 people.
To help Americans find the best places to go for Thanksgiving without breaking the bank, WalletHub compared the 100 largest U.S. cities based on 20 key metrics. Our data set ranges from cost of Thanksgiving dinner and share of delayed flights to volunteer opportunities per capita and forecasted precipitation. Read on for the winners and a full description of our methodology.
For fun and interesting facts about Turkey Day, check out WalletHub’s Thanksgiving Fun Facts Infographic.
