Thumbtack Reveals 2024’s Most Festive Cities in the U.S., with Austin Holding the #1 Spot for the Third Year In a Row

The Top 20 Most Festive U.S. Cities in 2024

(Arrows represent whether cities have moved up or down the list compared to 2023 results)

Thumbtack’s ranking features the cities with the most holiday spirit based on holiday light decorations, adjusted for each city’s population. Texas cities top the list, with Austin, Dallas, and Houston maintaining their spot in the top five. North Carolina also joined the party, with Charlotte jumping from #20 to #8 and Raleigh debuting on the list for the first time, coming in at #9. On the West Coast, California is not one to be ignored, with San Francisco climbing from #15 to #5, and Sacramento rising from #14 to #7, showing that the Golden State is looking bright this time of year.

Wondering how much it will cost to decorate your home this holiday season? The average cost to hire a holiday lighting specialist can range from $168–$300, depending on the size of your home and the areas you want to decorate. To save costs, get on a pro’s calendar soon to avoid peak demand, which typically falls over Thanksgiving weekend. Plus, it will give you a few extra weeks of holiday cheer.

Decking the Halls, Coast to Coast

While cities across the country decorate for the holidays, their location and climate will unsurprisingly influence design choices. From twinkling cacti to snowy scenes, here’s a peek at how different regions are bringing festive cheer to their homes, inside and out.

• Northeast: In the chilly Northeast, we tend to see heavier fabrics like velvet and plaid sprinkled around the house, alongside wool and cable-knit decor, which adds warmth and coziness during the colder months. Exterior lighting can also give classic winter wonderland vibes, with candles in windows and warm golden lights draped along rooflines. Homeowners can easily source evergreen branches, pinecones, and berry-adorned wreaths for DIY decorations, allowing them to lean into the festive red and green color scheme.
• Midwest: Here, features like central staircases and open entryways between rooms tend to be focal points for decoration. A large banister can be wrapped in pool noodles covered in baubles and sprigs of green. A tension rod in an entrance or doorway offers a temporary blank canvas to hang greenery, ribbons, and fairy lights, making DIY decor easier than ever.
• Warmer Climates: In the milder climates, you probably won’t find a winter wonderland, but you might see plenty of twinkling lights, tinsel, and bold colors outside the traditional red, green, and white palette. Neon baubles, vintage plastic Santa molds, and playful LED lights keep properties festive and bright. Native eucalyptus, olive branches, and succulents are used as greenery in place of traditional pine and fir.

Stress-Free Decorating Tips for a Festive Home

If you haven’t dusted off your holiday decorations just yet, there’s still time. Here are a few tips that will make decorating easier on you and your wallet.

• Work with What You Have: Use your everyday home decor as a foundation and add a few festive touches here and there. You don’t need to overhaul your space to bring in the holiday spirit; adding a couple of bottlebrush trees or porcelain houses to your existing decor can make a big difference. 
• Keep it Simple: From elaborately decorated trees to homes lit from top to bottom, it’s easy to get caught up in the holiday spirit, but you don’t need to go all out to bring some cheer. Focus on key spaces like the living room to create a cozy atmosphere without the stress of decorating every room.
• DIY Bows: Bows bring a classic touch to your tree, garlands, and wreaths. Instead of buying pre-made ones, try tying your own using satin or velvet ribbon for a personal, budget-friendly option.

For more holiday inspiration and tips, check out the Thumbtack app for personalized guidance and home decor recommendations. Whether you're booking a pro or exploring DIY options, we're here to help you get festive for the holiday season, stress-free.

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Methodology: Data is from customer requests on the Thumbtack platform from October 2023 to October 2024 for holiday light installations. Rankings were based on the relative frequency of such requests adjusted for the population of state and metropolitan areas. Pricing data is based on projects requested in these categories on Thumbtack reported directly by the independent service professional or individual customer. The price reported reflects the average price over the past year. Outliers were removed if the reported price was greater than three times the standard deviation from the mean within each category.