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St. Patrick's Day traditions vary widely along the East Coast. Some cities are steeped in Irish tradition with huge parades, historic pubs, and thriving Irish communities, while others lack massive celebrations.
WalletHub released its 2025 list of Best Cities for St. Patrick's Day Celebrations on Wednesday, Mar. 12. The study ranked 200 US cities based on holiday traditions, Irish pubs per capita, affordability, safety, and even weather.
WalletHub projects that Americans will spend around $7 billion celebrating St. Patrick's Day in 2025.
"St. Patrick's Day celebrates the Irish, but it's become a beloved cultural holiday for millions of Americans regardless of their ancestry," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. "The best cities for St. Patrick's Day combine rich traditions with tasty and affordable food, safe conditions to celebrate, and good weather. Celebrating in one of these cities will increase your chances of having a memorable holiday, as long as you don't overdo it."
Irish eyes smiled on Massachusetts in the study, with the state's two largest cities finishing in the top five. This may not come as a surprise to Bay Staters, since nearly one in five residents claim Irish ancestry, according to the US Census Bureau.
Here's how cities across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic were ranked for their St. Patrick's Day celebrations.
Massachusetts: A Wicked Awesome Destination
The home of the Kennedy family and the Boston Celtics is also where the best St. Patrick's Day fun happens, according to WalletHub. Boston took the top spot in the nation thanks to its deep Irish heritage.
More than 13 percent of Boston residents have Irish heritage, among the most for any US city. Beantown also boasts the fourth-most Irish pubs per capita.
The city is well-known for its massive parade in South Boston, bringing in around a million visitors each year.
"Boston's parade tradition is also one of the oldest in the land, dating back to 1724, before we were even an independent country!" WalletHub financial writer Adam McCann wrote.
The 2024 South Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade.
If Boston's too crowded, you can head about an hour west to Worcester. The "Heart of the Commonwealth" finished in fifth place overall, boosted by its top 25 rankings in St. Patrick's Day traditions, along with safety and accessibility.
The Worcester County St. Patrick's Day Parade brings about 100,000 people to Park Avenue, with the route ending near Elm Park. Despite high costs overall, Worcester does have the fourth-cheapest average beer price.
Springfield didn't have the same luck as its two fellow Bay State hotspots. At 183rd, the city was among the worst for St. Patrick's Day, likely hindered by a lack of affordability and more popular celebrations in cities, including neighboring Holyoke and nearby Hartford, Connecticut.
New York: The Big (Green) Apple
New York City remains a top destination, finishing seventh in WalletHub's rankings. The city's famous St. Patrick's Day parade is the largest in the world and has been held since 1762.
The Big Apple was tied with Tampa, Florida, for most Irish pubs and restaurants per capita. However, the city was last for "access to bars," which factored in the number of bars per 100,000 residents and how many bars are located in a square mile.
Nearby Yonkers was in the middle of the pack in 67th place. While the parade on McLean Avenue helped the city's traditions ranking, Yonkers was actually considered more expensive for the holiday than New York City.
Out in Western New York, Buffalo broke into the top 10 in ninth place. The Queen City was fourth in the holiday tradition rank but unsurprisingly held back by its unpredictable weather, with lake-effect snow possible in mid-March.
Two other upstate cities cracked the top 50: Syracuse (37th) and Rochester (44th).
The New York City Saint Patrick's Day Parade in 2016.
Pennsylvania: Big Cities, Big Parties
Pennsylvania's two largest cities were ranked in the top 25. In 10th place, Pittsburgh emerged as one of the best places to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, thanks to its historic parade and strong Irish bar scene.
Philadelphia also ranked well in 25th place, boosted by large-scale events and a deep-rooted Irish community. Philly also has the fifth-most Irish pubs and restaurants per capita.
Connecticut: Middling Rankings For Constitution State
Connecticut appears to be overshadowed by the top 10 celebrations in Massachusetts and New York. New Haven was ranked 89th thanks to its popular parade but the Elm City fell behind larger cities due to higher costs and lower accessibility.
Bridgeport slipped further down the list in 153rd place, struggling in nearly every category, including holiday traditions and affordability. Hartford didn't appear in WalletHub's rankings despite having a prominent parade that begins at the state capitol.
DMV: Some Bright Spots, But Mostly Average
The Washington, DC, metro area has some places for solid Irish fun but lags behind many cities to its north. Alexandria was 45th, benefiting from great access to bars and the well-attended Ballyshaners parade.
Despite having the third-highest percentage of Irish people, Arlington finished in 120th place, struggling with affordability and event traditions. Alexandria and Arlington did break into the top five for bar access.
Virginia Beach (30th) and Richmond (31st) led Virginia on the list. Some coastal cities were ranked in the top 100, including Hampton (68th), Norfolk (74th), Chesapeake (76th), and Newport News (91st).
Washington (111th) and Baltimore (113th) fell in the bottom half of the rankings, held back by high costs and weaker festivities.
New Jersey: Unlucky Numbers
New Jersey cities were among the worst for St. Patrick's Day celebrations. Paterson finished dead last in 200th place, especially ranking poorly in holiday traditions, costs, and weather.
Jersey City was the highest ranked in the Garden State at 168th place. While suffering in the other rankings, New York City's western neighbor was sixth in the nation for safety and accessibility.
Newark came in 181st place despite finishing in the middle (104th) for St. Patrick's Day traditions. WalletHub's rankings didn't consider Jersey Shore cities with popular parades like Asbury Park, Atlantic City, and Wildwood.
You can click here to see WalletHub's full 2025 list of Best Cities for St. Patrick's Day Celebrations.
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