How Much More You Spend on Christmas Than Thanksgiving, Which State Spends Most and 3 More Holiday Finance Factoids
Written by
Dawn Allcot
Edited by
Nicholas Morine
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‘Tis the season for spending. Some Americans save year-round to afford the holiday season, while others scramble to cover the costs of holiday meals and gifts. Some put their holiday spending on credit cards, which can make for a cash-strapped new year.
But just how much do Americans spend on Thanksgiving and Christmas? A new survey from Casino.org sheds light on holiday season spending habits. You might be surprised by some of the findings.
Average Cost of Thanksgiving Dinner Per Household
Casino.org discovered that, across all states, the average household will spend $107.01 chowing down on turkey, stuffing and all the fixings. That also happens to be the state-wide average for Pennsylvania.
This is based on Casino.org’s survey of 2,000 households who said they would be hosting Thanksgiving dinner at home this year. Overall, Thanksgiving dinner costs between roughly $40 at its lowest and $176.56 at its highest.
Cheapest States for a Turkey Dinner
If you’re looking for a low-cost Thanksgiving meal, Arkansas is the state where you’ll find it. Arkansas families who are hosting this year reported spending just $39.58 on their feast. While Southern dishes might be hearty and filling, it’s unlikely Arkansas Thanksgiving hosts will be dishing out seconds on this budget.
Other states that Casino.org dubbed “stingiest” when it comes to Thanksgiving meals are as follows, with these states spending less than $100.
- Tennessee ($65.22)
- Kansas ($67)
- Nebraska ($68)
- Montana ($68)
- Ohio ($71)
- Delaware ($72)
- South Dakota ($74)
- Massachusetts ($80)
- Oregon ($83)
- Vermont ($85)
- Illinois ($93)
- Missouri ($97)
- Nevada ($97)
(Note: Data was not available for every state.)
Most Expensive States for Thanksgiving Dinner
On the other hand, which states are shelling out the most for Thanksgiving dinner? You might think the price of a turkey meal is related to the cost of living — but, that’s not necessarily the case. It seems families in Alabama are just more generous when it comes to splurging on their Thanksgiving feast.
Alabama families reported spending an average of $176.56. Yet, the average cost of living in Alabama is 13% lower than the national average, according to RentCafe.com, with groceries costing 4% less than the national average.
Other big spenders for Thanksgiving reside in the following states, with the cost of their holiday meal exceeding the national average of $107.
- Kentucky ($175)
- Maryland ($139)
- Washington ($135)
- New Jersey ($134)
- Connecticut ($133)
- Florida ($129)
- California ($128)
- Texas ($127)
- Colorado ($124)
- Indiana ($121)
- Minnesota ($120)
- Louisiana ($117)
- New Mexico ($115)
- Maine ($115)
- Mississippi ($110)
Cities That Spend the Most on Thanksgiving Dinner
Casino.org also took a granular look at Thanksgiving spending, pinpointing the U.S. cities where households spend the most. Florida falls into sixth place on the list of highest spending states, but Miami spends the most out of any city, with a Thanksgiving feast costing an average of $205.40. Here are the other priciest cities for Thanksgiving dinner.
- Birmingham, Alabama: $165.00
- Buffalo, New York: $160.00
- Dayton, Ohio: $130.00
- Kissimmee, Florida: $120.00
Who Spends the Least on Thanksgiving?
Millennials and boomers may have another reason to disagree around the Thanksgiving table — especially if the younger generation is hosting. According to Casino.org’s findings, millennials are spending 17% less on Thanksgiving than all the other generations combined.
Plus, nearly 50% of millennials polled said they would spend less than $50 on Thanksgiving dinner. With the average cost of a 16 lb. turkey at roughly $29, that doesn’t leave a lot of room in the budget for any sides, pie, or even wine. Perhaps millennials are planning on paying homage to the late Matthew Perry, best known for his role as Chandler Bing, in serving up a “Friends-giving” style dinner of grilled cheese sandwiches.
Christmas vs. Thanksgiving Costs
Maybe millennials have a good reason for skimping out on Thanksgiving — they could be saving for upcoming Christmas expenses. Americans, overall, plan to spend 95% more on Christmas than Thanksgiving, Casino.org writer Riley Clark indicated in an email to GOBankingRates.
With gifts, holiday décor, plus large meals on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, as well as any holiday parties people might throw, it’s no wonder that Christmas spending eclipses Thanksgiving costs by so much. Maybe millennials have the right idea to save their money this week, leaving more to spend next month.
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