Summary
A study by WalletHub showed that holiday spending varies greatly across U.S. cities. The research ranked 558 cities based on factors like income and debt to estimate holiday budgets, with Palo Alto, California, having the highest average budget.
Key Facts
- WalletHub examined 558 U.S. cities to find out how much people plan to spend on holidays.
- Palo Alto, California, has the highest average holiday budget of $4,485.
- California cities dominated the top 10 list for highest spending.
- Elisabeth, New Jersey, has one of the lowest average holiday budgets at $212.
- Factors considered in the analysis included income, existing debt, and cost of living.
- U.S. Black Friday online sales rose to $11.8 billion in 2025, up 9.1% from 2024.
- Cyber Monday sales were higher than expected, pushing total holiday-season sales toward $253 billion.
