The US cities ranked as most fun in 2025 — and NYC barely makes the cut

The WalletHub end-of-year consensus has come out on which cities in America boast the ‘most fun’ to be had in America — and NYC barely makes the grade.

The report — titled Most Fun Cities in America — lists Las Vegas, NV; Orlando, FL; Miami, FL; Atlanta, GA; New Orleans, LA as the best five spots (in that order) to paint the town red.

182 cities were ranked on the list, with the Big Apple coming in a disappointing 14th place and Pearl City, HI, placing dead last.

The scoreboard included the categories Entertainment & Recreation, Nightlife & Parties, and Cost. WalletHub notes that “with the exception of Total Score, all the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.”

The page also featured the 65 key metrics that went into the judging, like Festivals per Capita, Accessible Bars, and Movie Costs.

Perhaps it should come as little surprise that Las Vegas, Nevada — colloquially known as ‘Sin City’ and ‘The Entertainment Capital of the World’— maintained its 2024 ranking for ‘Most Fun City’.

The gambling juggernaut boasts a huge selection of entertainment venues and top restaurants, along with a thriving nightlife scene. While it is pricey to spend a night out on the town there, fans of the city can console themselves that it’s the cheapest city for grabbing a burger (according to WalletHub).

Orlando, Florida snagged the number two spot for its two biggest fun-tastic brags — Disney World and Universal Studios.

Miami, Florida came in third due to its beaches and large number of opportunities to participate in watersports.

Marie Rao, design and branding expert who has lived in both Miami and NYC, agree’s with the fact that Miami has a higher ranking in terms of having a good time.

“Miami’s got it going on,” Rao told The Post. “Multicultural, sun, surf, and people who actually dress up for dinner.”

“NYC, on the other hand, is like the cool kid who’s lost its edge,” she continued. “Sure, it’s got the best restaurants, but good luck getting a table.”

Atlanta, Georgia earned the fourth spot on the list, likely because of the world-class Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola experience.

Chevy Wolf, a PR and marketing specialist who’s lived in Atlanta and Gotham, did not agree that Atlanta should be placed higher than the Empire City.

“For New Yorkers, there’s a charm in walking from the cafe, greeting the community, everyone looking fly then off to work,” Wolf told The Post. “Atlanta is a great place with super dope humans that know how to have fun, but experiencing a city on foot far surpasses having to drive from place to place.”

New Orleans brings up the rear of the Top 5 with its bubbling jazz culture and Mardi Gras celebrations. 

WalletHub gave readers a likely unnecessary reminder that “having fun can be expensive,” noting that according to the Bureau of Labor, the average American spends over $3,600 annually on entertainment.

The personal finance company site also admitted that “everyone’s brand of fun is different.”

“At WalletHub, we define such a place as one that offers a little bit of everything for everyone — except maybe people seeking the most extreme thrills,” writer Adam McCann said.

“In a city with enough variety, you won’t have to compromise with your friends, family, or even yourself about the next fun activity to do alone or together.”

Top 20 most fun US cities:

1. Las Vegas, NV
2. Orlando, FL
3. Miami, FL
4. Atlanta, GA
5. New Orleans, LA
6. Houston, TX
7. San Francisco, CA
8. Austin, TX
9. Portland, OR
10. Cincinnati, OH
11. Chicago, IL
12. Denver, CO
13. St. Louis, MO
14. New York, NY
15. Fort Lauderdale, FL
16. Tampa, FL
17. Los Angeles, CA
18. Honolulu, HI
19. Washington, DC
20. Seattle, WA