THE BEST and worst US cities to celebrate St Patrick’s Day in have been revealed in a wide-ranging new piece of research.
With more than 32 million people across the US claiming some form of Irish ancestry, St Patrick’s Day represents big business in America.
This year alone, Americans are projected to spend an estimated $6.16 billion celebrating Ireland’s patron saint.
With that in mind, it could pay to be in the know when it comes to deciding where to spend March 17.
That’s where WalletHub comes in.
They have compared 200 locations across 17 key metrics to find the US city offering the best bang for your buck.
Everything from the number of Irish pubs and restaurants per capita to lowest price for a three-star hotel on St. Patrick’s Day was factored in to the research.
Crime rates, DUI fatalities and the percentage of population claiming Irish heritage were also considerations.
Chicago was crowned the best US city to enjoy St Patrick’s Day in, just ahead of Boston with Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Tampa completing the top five.
The top 10 reads as follows:
- Chicago, IL
- Boston, MA
- Philadelphia, PA
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Tampa, FL
- Naperville, IL
- New York, NY
- Buffalo, NY
- Cleveland, OH
- Cedar Rapids, IA
Chicago tied with New York, Seattle and Tampa in the key category of most Irish pubs and restaurants per capita.
It was also the third cheapest city when it came to beer prices, behind Rockford and Milwaukee.
The city also led the way when it came to the most St Patrick's Day parties and festivals per capita.
A full breakdown of the results can be viewed below:
