Chicago City Wire

issued the following announcement on June 28

Chicago Is 2021’s 3rd Best City to Celebrate 4th of July – WalletHub Study Chicago Is 2021’s 3rd Best City to Celebrate 4th of July – WalletHub Study Hi Chicago City Wire News Team,

With Americans planning to collectively spend $7.5 billion on 4^th of July celebrations this year, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2021's Best & Worst Places for 4th of July Celebrations, as well as accompanying videos, to go along with interesting stats about the holiday in its 4th of July Facts & Figures infographic and Coronavirus and 4^th of July Survey. 

To determine the best places to celebrate the most star-spangled occasion, WalletHub compared the 100 largest U.S. cities based on how well they balance holiday cost and fun. The data set of 23 key metrics ranges from average beer and wine prices to duration of fireworks shows to the Fourth of July weather forecast.

Celebrating Fourth of July in Chicago (1=Best; 50=Avg.):

• 37^th – Avg. Beer & Wine Prices
• 8^th – Walkability
• 47^th – Lowest Price of Three-Star Hotel Room
• 12^th – Number of Fourth of July Festivals & Performances
• 13^th – Avg. Price of Fourth of July Party Ticket
• 1^st – Prevalence of Affordable 4.5+ Star Restaurants

For the full report, please visit: https://wallethub.com/edu/best-4th-of-july-celebrations/4651

4th of July Facts & Figures

• $7.5 Billion: Amount Americans plan to spend on 4^th of July food.

   

• 150 Million: Number of hot dogs eaten each 4^th of July.

   

• $1.4+ Billion: Amount Americans plan to spend on 4^th of July beer and wine.

   

• 80%: Share of community fireworks displays that were canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic.

   

• $1.5+ Billion: Estimated amount spent on fireworks in 2020 (73% of fireworks injuries occur within a month of July 4).

   

• $6.7 Million: Value of American flags imported annually.

   

• 48 Million: Number of people who travel 50+ miles from home for the 4^th of July.

To view the full infographic, please visit: https://wallethub.com/blog/4th-of-july-facts/22075

Survey Key Findings

• Travel is picking up. 37% more Americans will travel this 4th of July compared to last year.

   

• Fireworks aren’t essential. 62% of Americans don't think that local governments should use taxpayer dollars for fireworks displays this year.

   

• Declaring financial independence. 64% of Americans feel financially independent this 4th of July.

   

• Saving vs. spending. 62% of Americans believe saving money is more patriotic than spending it.

   

• More Independence Day spending. 36% of Americans are spending more money this 4th of July compared to last year.

For the complete survey results, visit:

https://wallethub.com/blog/coronavirus-and-4th-of-july-survey/75815

Q&A with WalletHub

How has the reopening of the country impacted Americans’ plans for this 4^th of July?

“Around 36% of Americans plan to spend more money on the 4^th of July this year compared to last year. That indicates that people are more likely to gather together for the holiday this year, whereas social distancing was the norm last year,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “While people were discouraged from traveling last year for the 4^th of July, 37% more Americans will travel this year.”

How do Americans feel about their finances this 4^th of July?

“The encouraging news is that 64% of Americans feel financially independent this 4^th of July, which demonstrates that we are recovering from the damage done by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “Without all of the stimulus measures taken by the government to support people and small businesses, the number of people feeling financially independent would likely be much lower.”

This 4^th of July, how do Americans feel about spending versus saving money?

“Around 62% of Americans believe that saving money is more patriotic than spending it right now, which makes sense because many people had their savings wiped out by the pandemic. People who rebuild their savings can be less reliant on support from the government, which frees up more resources for the country to use for other important things, like public health and infrastructure,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “Spending money can also be patriotic, though, because it stimulates the economy and helps the country grow.”

Do Americans think local governments should hold fireworks displays on the 4^th of July?

“Around 62% of Americans don’t think that local governments should use taxpayer dollars to fund fireworks displays this 4^th of July,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “While they’re considered a staple of 4^th of July celebrations, fireworks are a luxury, and people would rather see their tax dollars go to more essential things as the country recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The above Q&A is also provided in audio format and can be edited as needed.

Please let me know if you have any questions or if you would like to schedule a phone, Skype or in-studio interview with one of our experts. Feel free to embed this YouTube video summarizing the study on your website. You can also use or edit these raw files as you see fit. Full data sets for specific cities in our Best & Worst Places to Celebrate 4th of July report are also available upon request.