Houston has once again landed a coveted spot on Thumbtack's annual ranking of the most festive American cities in 2025.
Home services platform Thumbtack analyzed holiday light installation requests from customers from October 2024 to 2025 to determine the most festive U.S. cities. Rankings were based on the "relative frequency" of requests after being adjusted for the population of each state and metro area.
Houston ranked as the 6th most festive U.S. city this year, dropping two spots from its former No. 4 rank in 2024.
Locals searching for inspiration for their homes can find it at the many twinkly displays illuminating Houston for the holidays, from the iconic City Lights to the rustic Dewberry Farm light show. And the holiday season is beginning earlier with every passing year, according to Thumbtack.
"Homeowners are layering their look from October through December, swapping out pumpkins for pine boughs and adding sparkle as the season unfolds," the report said.
Other festive holiday events happening around Houston include cheery pop-up bars, holiday markets, and much more. CultureMap readers can also keep up with all of Houston's holiday happenings in our special editorial series.
Other big Texas cities like Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio also all landed top-10 spots in the report, proving the Lone Star State is much more festive than the rest of the country.
"From Texas to Florida, the South is setting the standard for holiday spirit, and in true Texas fashion, bigger is definitely brighter," the report said. "Mild winters and a strong sense of community keep the Lone Star State shining at the top."
Thumbtack's top 10 most festive U.S. cities in 2024 are:
- No. 1 – Austin, Texas
- No. 2 – Dallas, Texas
- No. 3 – Seattle, Washington
- No. 4 – Las Vegas, Nevada
- No. 5 – Sacramento, California
- No. 6 – Houston, Texas
- No. 7 – San Francisco, California
- No. 8 – Charlotte, North Carolina
- No. 9 – San Antonio, Texas
- No. 10 – Atlanta, Georgia
