Chicago Ranks 3rd In Nation For 4th Of July Celebrations

CHICAGO, IL — Every year, Americans collectively spend billions of dollars on fireworks, hot dogs, drinks, decorations and more to make the most epic Fourth of July celebrations possible. From the city's annual fireworks display to rooftop parties and backyard barbecues, Chicagoans put their hearts into making Independence Day memorable.

A recent WalletHub study ranked the "second city" 3rd in the nation for 4th of July celebrations. See why Chicago got #3 and which city got #1.

The study weighed five factors in its ranking of 4th of July festivities, including celebrations, affordability, attractions, safety and accessibility, and 4th of July weather forecasts (let's be real, the weather is probably what knocked Chicago down a notch).

Researchers then broke down each category into smaller points, from how many fireworks shows a city had to how much a hamburger costs.

Chicago took the #2 spot for Attractions and Activities and #6 for Safety and Accessibility and Weather. The Windy City's biggest hit came in the Affordability category, where Chicago came in at #38.

With fireworks that light Lake Michigan from Navy Pier to festivals that take place throughout the 'burbs, Chicagoans can justifiably argue that the city deserves to be number one.

But the top spot went to Chicago's longtime rival: New York City.

Click the link to see where other big cities ranked in the WalletHub 4th of July Celebrations study.

What's your favorite part of 4th of July in Chicago? How are you celebrating? Let us know in the comments.

Image via Shutterstock