The Best U.S. Cities To Throw a House Party

BetMGM Jan 28, 2025, 9:17 PM
min read
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A house party can transform an ordinary night into one to remember, but not all cities are equally equipped for hosting a great one. We analyzed 14 factors—ranging from house size and cost-related elements to amenities like pools and hot tubs—to determine the best and worst U.S. cities for throwing a house party. The data gives party planners insight into where they can shine and where they might face a few hurdles.

Experts in all things nightlife and entertainment, the team at BetMGM crunched the numbers and created a ranking to find America’s house party hotspots. Let’s dive in and see where your city lands on the list

The Best and Worst U.S. Cities to Throw a House Party

Hosting a house party isn’t just about gathering a crowd—it’s about creating a memorable experience, and the right location can make all the difference. The results highlight the cities where hosting is a breeze and the ones where throwing a bash might be a bit more challenging.

Best Cities To Throw a House Party

  1. Tucson, AZ – 77.7 out of 100
      • Percent of population of partying age: 15%
      • Homes for sale with a hot tub per 100K: 5.3
  2. San Antonio, TX – 77
      • Lowest beer and soda costs in the study
      • Average Wi-Fi speed: 347 Mbps
  3. Baton Rouge, LA – 76.3
      • Average catering cost: $15 per person
      • Homes for sale with 4+ parking spaces per 100K: 26.2
  4. Austin, TX – 74.5
      • Homes for sale with a pool per 100K: 18.5
      • Homes for sale with a guest house per 100K: 14.9
  5. Raleigh, NC – 70
      • Average home size: 2,013 sq. ft.
      • Firefighters per 10K: 14.6

These cities earned their rankings by excelling in affordability, home amenities, and/or hosting-friendly metrics. Tucson, with its large population of people in prime house-partying age (20-29 years old) and abundance of homes featuring hot tubs, is an ideal location for an outdoor gathering. San Antonio shines with its budget-friendly beer prices and lightning-fast internet, perfect for streaming music or game nights. Baton Rouge offers ample parking in many of its homes—a must-have for partygoers—while Austin and Raleigh bring large homes and other outdoor perks to the table.

It’s also worth noting the Southern focus among the top cities. Warmer weather and spacious properties in these regions make them prime spots for parties that extend into backyards and patios.

Worst Cities To Throw a House Party

  1. New York, NY – 25.7 out of 100
      • Highest beer costs in the study
      • Highest average taxi cost in the study at $41
  2. San Francisco, CA – 30.2
      • Property crime rate: 59.9
      • Average yard size: 0.06 acres
  3. Pittsburgh, PA – 35.8
      • Firefighters per 10K: 3.9
      • Homes for sale with a pool per 100K: 0.04
  4. Chicago, IL – 36.45
      • Average catering costs: $35.80 per person
      • Average home size: 1,273 sq. ft.
  5. Washington, DC – 38
      • Homes for sale with a guest house per 100K: 0.14
      • Homes for sale with 4+ parking spaces per 100K: 1.4

Throwing a house party in these cities presents unique challenges for hosts. New York City’s sky-high beer prices and transportation costs make even simple gatherings pricey. In San Francisco, limited yard space and higher crime rates add additional hurdles. Pittsburgh and Chicago face constraints in amenities like pools and catering affordability, while Washington, DC, offers limited home parking and guest-friendly spaces if your visitors need some extra room.

Notably, the worst-ranked cities tend to cluster in densely populated urban areas. Limited space, higher costs, and fewer hosting-friendly amenities make throwing a memorable house party in these locations a tall order. Luckily, they also typically have more out-of-the-house entertainment options!

While some cities are perfectly tailored for hosting unforgettable house parties, others pose some logistical and financial challenges. Next, we’ll dive into the specific factors that make certain cities shine, including affordability and unique amenities.

The Best U.S. Cities to Throw a House Party for Key Factors

Cities with the Largest Homes

  1. New Haven, CT – 2,105 sq. ft.
  2. Hartford, CT – 2,062 sq. ft.
  3. Knoxville, TN – 2,039 sq. ft.
  4. Raleigh, NC – 2,013 sq. ft.
  5. McAllen, TX – 1,990 sq. ft.

The national average home size in the cities we analyzed is 1,666 sq. ft., which puts these cities well above average. Connecticut cities like New Haven and Hartford lead the pack, offering spacious homes that are perfect for hosting large gatherings. Knoxville and Raleigh also boast ample square footage, reflecting a trend of larger homes in suburban areas.

Cities with the Highest Average Taxi Costs

  1. New York, NY – $41
  2. Riverside, CA – $36
  3. Las Vegas, NV – $31
  4. Houston, TX – $31
  5. Greenville, SC – $29

With a national average taxi cost of $21, these cities’ higher fares can add up quickly for partygoers. New York City tops the list with its famously expensive transportation, while cities like Las Vegas and Riverside also make the cut due to their sprawling layouts and reliance on car services.

Cities with the Most Homes for Sale with 4+ Parking Spaces

  1. Phoenix, AZ – 33.4 homes per 100K
  2. Nashville, TN – 26.8
  3. Baton Rouge, LA – 26.2
  4. Raleigh, NC – 26
  5. Honolulu, HI – 15

The national average for homes with 4+ parking spaces is just 5.5 per 100K people, making these cities stand out. Phoenix leads by a wide margin, offering homes with plenty of parking for guests. Nashville, Baton Rouge, and Raleigh also excel in this category, making them ideal for larger gatherings with multiple vehicles.

Whether it’s the size of your home, the cost of transportation, or the availability of parking, these factors can make or break a house party. Next, we’ll take a closer look at the full range of data we analyzed to create our rankings and uncover even more insights about the best cities for hosting house parties.

How Does Your City Stack Up?

Closing Thoughts

Planning a house party can be a thrilling endeavor, but as our rankings show, some cities make the task much easier than others. Whether it’s Tucson’s hot tubs and ample space, San Antonio’s affordability, or New York’s unique challenges, location plays a key role in crafting the ultimate stay-at-home party experience.

At BetMGM, we know a thing or two about unforgettable nights. Whether you’re hitting the jackpot on the casino floor or spinning the reels from your living room, our digital slots and casino games can elevate any gathering. Check out our money slots, featured online casino games, or grab a casino bonus promotion to keep the fun rolling all night long.

Methodology

To determine the best U.S. cities for house parties we evaluated the 100 largest cities in the U.S. on 14 ranking factors that would affect one’s ability to throw a great one.

The factors were weighted based on their importance to house parties. Based on these weights, the factors we considered were given scores from 0 to 5 and summed to reach a total score of 0 to 100 with 100 representing a perfect score.

For a full list of ranking factors and where the data for them came from, check out the table below.

Ranking FactorSourceWeightNotes
Average House SizeMovoto1.50More room to party
Average Yard SizeLawnStarter1.00More space to party
Houses With a Pool*Zillow.50Pools = better parties
Homes w/ 4+ Parking Spaces*Zillow.50Easier access sto arrive at the party
Homes With a Gues House*Redfin1.00More places to party
Houses With a Hot Tub*Redfin.50Hot tubs = better parties
People of Partying AgeCensus1.50Younger adults party more often
Taxi CostExpatistan.50Transportation to the party
Beer CostExpatistan.50Cost of partying
Soda CostExpatistan.50Cost of partying
Average Cost of CateringThumbtack.50Cost of partying
Property Crime*Neighborhood Scout.50Less likely to sustain damage from the party
Internet SpeedSpeed Test.50Streaming music, games, and more!
Firefighters per 10kBLS.50Nice to have if things go awry

*per 100k

 

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