Dallas has once again secured the runner-up position for the most festive city in the United States, with four Texas cities earning places in the top ten.
For the third year running, home services website Thumbtack has produced its list of the Most Festive Cities in the U.S., using data from millions of home projects nationwide. Cities are ranked on holiday spirit by assessing holiday light decorations, adjusted for the city’s population.
Dallas came in second for the third year in a row, with Austin taking the top spot nationwide. Seattle, Washington, came in third, and Houston took the fourth spot. Further down the list, San Antonio took the number 10 spot.
North Texas is packed with elaborate light displays this time of year. Last month, The Dallas Express compiled a list of some of the best spots in Dallas-Fort Worth for basking in the holiday lights.
“While cities across the country decorate for the holidays, their location and climate will unsurprisingly influence design choices,” reads the Thumbtack report. “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.”
Thumbtack analyzed customer requests for holiday light installations throughout its platform from October 2023 to October 2024. Cities were then ordered based on the relative frequency at which the requests were made. On average, the company says Americans spent between $168 and $300 hiring help to mount Christmas lights.
Dallas is not just known for the lights that decorate the outdoors. Interiors of homes across the city are outfitted with colorful Christmas trees.
The Lone Star State has seen its domestic Christmas tree industry expand over the past few decades. In the 1980s, most trees in Texas were imported from out of state. Today, Texas is home to the second-largest Christmas tree industry in the U.S. South, based on average annual employment and wages.
Of course, if you want to see the biggest indoor tree in the nation, Dallas is also the place to be. You can visit the nearly 100-foot-tall giant with over 200,000 lights at Galleria Dallas until January 6.