NYC Is Nation's Best City For New Year's Eve, Study Finds

NEW YORK, NY — When it comes to ringing in the new year, you can't beat the home of the world's biggest party. New York City is the top New Year's Eve destination in the U.S., with better nightlife and restaurants than any other city, according to a WalletHub study published Monday.

The personal finance website evaluated the nation's 100 most populous cities for the quality of New Year's Eve entertainment, the cost of celebrating the occasion and each city's safety.

The home of the world-famous Times Square ball drop tops the list for entertainment, with more restaurants, nightlife options and luxury shops than any other city.

New York is one of the safest places to celebrate New Year's Eve, ranking sixth in the study's "Safety and Accessibility" category. The party in Midtown might seem like a big security headache, but 7,000 NYPD officers help keep it under control, WalletHub says.

The ball drop isn't the only party in town — New York ranks ninth for New Year's Eve events per capita. But a good time will cost you more in the city than almost anywhere else, as it ranked 99th for costs, meaning it's the second most expensive on the list.

The average couple will spend $680 more on dinner and a show in New York City than in Washington, D.C., WalletHub found.

It's free to join the Times Square festivities, which draw about 2 million people every year. But the average price of a ticket to a special ball drop party is $229, according to WalletHub.

Joining New York City at the top of WalletHub's ranking are Orlando, Florida at No. 2, Atlanta, Georgia at No. 3, Los Angeles at No. 4 and San Francisco at No. 5.

Want to take advantage of all the city has to offer for New Year's Eve? Check out Patch's guide to the city's best events to ring in the new year.

(Lead image: Confetti falls in Times Square on Jan. 1, 2017. Photo by Yana Paskova/Getty Images)