Several New York cities have been named some of the best states for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the U.S., according to a recently released study by WalletHub.
Over 31.2 million people in the U.S. claim Irish ancestry, WalletHub says, and Americans are projected to spend $7 billion on St. Patrick’s Day this year.
“The best cities for St. Patrick’s Day combine rich traditions with tasty and affordable food, safe conditions to celebrate and good weather,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said. “Celebrating in one of these cities will increase your chances of having a memorable holiday, as long as you don’t overdo it.”
Here’s what to know.
Which NY cities made the list?
The 2024 Rochester St. Patrick’s Day parade on Sat. March 16.
New York City took the No. 7 spot with a total score of 60.95, a St. Patrick’s Day traditions rank of three, a costs rank of 126, a safety accessibility rank of 25 and a St. Patrick’s Day weather rank of 170. The Big Apple is also tied with Miami for the most Irish pubs and restaurants per capita, according to WalletHub, and the lowest ‘access to bars’ grade.
In the No. 9 slot is Buffalo with a total score of 60.58, a St. Patrick’s Day traditions rank of four, a costs rank of 122, a safety accessibility rank of 18 and a St. Patrick’s Day weather rank of 178.
Three additional New York cities fell outside of the top 10 — No. 37 Syracuse with a total score of 54.73, Rochester, which came in at No. 44 with a total score of 53.58 and No. 67 Yonkers with a total score of 50.87. The Flower City also received the highest ‘access to bars’ grade.
WalletHub’s top 10 cities with the best St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the U.S.
Rochester St. Patrick’s Day Parade 2025: Parking, weather, and event details
How WalletHub assessed cities for their St. Patrick’s Day celebrations
WalletHub compared 200 of the largest cities across four categories: St. Patrick’s Day traditions, costs, safety and accessibility and St. Patrick’s Day weather.
The St. Patrick’s Day traditions category took into account these factors:
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St. Patrick’s Day parades
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Length of St. Patrick’s Day history
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Share of Irish population
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Irish pubs and restaurants per capita
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Google Search Interest for “St. Patrick’s Day Events”
The costs category took a look at these aspects:
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Lowest price of a three-star hotel on St. Patrick’s Day celebrations
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Affordable 4+ star Irish pubs and restaurants
The safety and accessibility category included these elements:
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DUI-related fatalities in motor vehicle crashes per capita
The St. Patrick’s Day weather category took into account these factors:
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Forecasted vs. average temperature for St. Patrick’s Day
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Forecasted precipitation for St. Patrick’s Day
Data used to create the ranking was collected as of Feb. 12, 2025 and the information was sourced from multiple entities, such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, AccuWeather and every city’s official page for its St. Patrick’s Day parade.
Emily Barnes reports on consumer-related issues for the USA TODAY Network’s New York Connect Team, focusing on scam and recall-related topics. Follow her on X and Instagram @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Where to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in NY? These cities deliver
