As we prepare to spend another major holiday surrounded by the comforts of home, it's nice to know that Austin is one of the best cities to celebrate Christmas.
Financial resource WalletHub recently released its timely list, ranking the 100 largest U.S. cities based on 15 indicators of "a safe and affordable Christmas." With a total score of 60.06, the Capital City ranks No. 18 overall and second in Texas, topped only by Plano, which ranks No. 9.
Austin comes in ninth in the traditions and food category and 22nd for safety, based on average COVID-19 cases and deaths. Among the individual indicators, Austin ranks 13th for bakeries per capita, 22nd for Google searches of "Christmas celebration," 22nd for restaurant meal cost, and 24th for Christmas tree farms per capita — all the necessities for a merry little Christmas.
But where's our Christmas spirit? For that, Austin ranks 51st, according to the study, and the city scores a not-so-hot 46th in the observance category and 72nd in the generosity category.
If you happen to be venturing out (safely) for the holidays, the Lone Star State is home to several other spots on the nice list. Fort Worth (21), Houston (22), and Dallas (23) also land in the top 25.
