Fourth of July [2024]: How Much Will People Spend?

The Fourth of July is the most American of holidays, and it can leave a significant impact on your wallet.

By Kate Daugherty

Edited by Yahia Barakah, CEPF

Updated Sept. 24, 2024

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From BBQs and cookouts to sparklers, dazzling fireworks shows, and good times with family and friends, the Fourth of July is the peak of summer fun. But there’s also a financial aspect to July Fourth that many people don’t think about.

While spending for Independence Day is generally lower than other holidays, food, beverages, and fireworks can add up quickly. Here’s how much Americans typically spend on this holiday.

In this article

29% of people plan to buy fireworks in 2024
People plan to spend an average of $170 on the Fourth of July
America imported nearly $396 million in fireworks in 2023
In 2023, 87% of people planned to celebrate the Fourth of July
Americans spent more than $8 billion on hot dogs over July Fourth, 2023
Most Americans celebrate July 4th with a cookout
In 2022, 487 people died in traffic accidents over the July 4th holiday
In 2022, 10,200 firework-related injuries were reported
In 2023, 94% of consumers planned to make a purchase for July Fourth.
Beer is the top holiday drink for the Fourth of July
75% of consumers expected inflation to impact their holiday spending in 2023
Prices on holiday food items decreased slightly in 2023
The week before Independence Day saw a significant increase in food purchases
In 2023, 50.7 million Americans were projected to travel over the July Fourth holiday
The average number of traffic deaths increases over the Fourth of July
How to stay safe on Fourth of July
Bottom line

Key takeaways

In 2023, 87% of Americans planned to celebrate the July Fourth holiday.
Americans plan to spend an average of $170 on Fourth of July celebrations in 2024.
In 2022, there were more than 10,000 injuries from fireworks reported to emergency rooms.
Americans will consume over 150 million hot dogs over the July Fourth holiday.
The Fourth of July is the top beer-drinking holiday in the U.S.

29% of people plan to buy fireworks in 2024

According to research by FinanceBuzz, 29% of Americans plan to buy fireworks this year. Of those who do plan to buy sparklers, Roman Candles, and other types of pyrotechnics, people ages 25 to 34 are the most likely to purchase them (60%), followed by those aged 35 to 44 (51%) and 18 to 24-year-olds (50%). 35% of people aged 45 to 54 said they would buy fireworks, but only 13% of people over 54 said they intended to purchase some.

Source: FinanceBuzz

People plan to spend an average of $170 on the Fourth of July

FinanceBuzz research shows that, on average, people plan to spend about $170 on their Fourth of July celebrations in 2024. While most people plan to spend less than $170, some will spend significantly more.

Of those surveyed, 22% of people plan to spend between $20 and $50, and 20% say they’ll pay between $50 and $100. Some intend to go all out, with 19% saying they’ll spend up to $200 and 15% saying they’ll go up to $500. 14% of people said they would spend more than $500, compared to only 11% who said they would spend less than $20.

Source: FinanceBuzz

Source: FinanceBuzz, National Retail Federation

America imported nearly $396 million in fireworks in 2023

According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2023, America imported approximately $396 million worth of fireworks and $6.5 million in American Flags.

The U.S. also exported $1 million worth of flags that same year. According to the American Pyrotechnics Association, in 2022, revenue from consumer fireworks purchases was worth $2.3 billion, while revenue from display fireworks totaled $400 million, up from $262 million in 2021.

Source: United States Census Bureau, American Pyrotechnics Association

In 2023, 87% of people planned to celebrate the Fourth of July

In 2023, the NRF found that 87% of Americans made plans to celebrate Independence Day, and 32% of those people also made patriotic purchases. This is despite a record-low number of Americans saying they are extremely proud to be American.

According to a Gallup poll in 2023, only 39% of respondents said they were extremely proud to be an American, slightly higher than in 2022 when 38% said the same. An additional 28% said they were very proud to be an American, for a combined total of 67% who said they are very proud or extremely proud to be an American.

Source: National Retail Federation, Gallup

Americans spent more than $8 billion on hot dogs over July Fourth, 2023

According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans bought $8 billion of hot dogs and sausages from U.S. supermarkets in 2023. During the Fourth of July, U.S. residents eat 150 million hot dogs, enough to stretch from Washington D.C. to Los Angeles more than five times. Overall, Americans spent $9.5 billion on food for Fourth of July celebrations in 2023, up from $7.7 billion in 2022 and $7.5 billion in 2021, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF).

During peak hot dog season (Memorial Day to Labor Day), Americans typically consume over 7 billion hotdogs. In 2023, Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, Chicago, and Boston consumed the most hot dogs in the U.S. Los Angeles residents took the top spot, eating about 30 million pounds of them.

Source: The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, National Retail Federation

Most Americans celebrate July 4th with a cookout

The National Retail Federation found that in 2023, 65% of people attended a cookout, BBQ, or picnic over the Fourth of July holiday, compared to 59% in 2022. In 2023, 42% of people attended a fireworks celebration, compared to 37% in 2022 and 33% in 2021. 13% of respondents said they went to a parade, compared to just 10% in 2022.

Travel is a less popular option over the July 4th holiday, with 14% of respondents saying they went on vacation in 2023, compared to 13% in 2022, 12% in 2021, and 9% in 2020. 13% of respondents said they did not celebrate, down from 16% in both 2021 and 2022 and 24% in 2020.

Source: National Retail Federation

In 2022, 487 people died in traffic accidents over the July 4th holiday

Research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that 487 people died over the 2022 Fourth of July holiday period. One hundred ninety-six of those fatalities (or 40%) involved drunk driving. Of those who died in drunk driving crashes, 27% involved a car or motorcycle driver with blood alcohol levels at or over .15g/dl, which is almost twice the legal limit in nearly every state.

From 2018 to 2022, there were 2,228 traffic fatalities during the Fourth of July holiday period. Of those crashes, vehicle drivers totaled 1,414 of those fatalities, and 545 (39%) of those drivers were drunk. People aged 21-34 had the highest percentage of drunk driving (50%) during the holiday period.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that in 2022, 10,200 people were treated in emergency rooms for firework-related injuries, and eleven people died. 38% of injuries were burns, with a majority (29%) of those injuries to hands and fingers. 16% of burn injuries were to someone’s eyes, and 19% were to the head, face, and ears. 19% of injuries were to the legs, while 12% were to the trunk of the body or other areas.

73% of injuries occurred in the weeks surrounding the Fourth of July. Firecrackers caused 1,300 reported injuries in 2022, while sparklers caused 600 injuries that year. Alarmingly, the CPSC found that approximately 43% of selected and tested fireworks contained illegal components that could cause severe injury, such as fuses that didn’t comply with the law, dangerous chemicals, and overloading pyrotechnic materials.

Source: United States Consumer Product Safety Commission

In 2023, 94% of consumers planned to make a purchase for July Fourth.

Data and tech company Numerator surveyed 2,650 consumers in April 2023 and reported that 94% of U.S. consumers planned to make a purchase related to the Fourth of July.

Of those surveyed, 83% planned to purchase food, 47% planned to buy alcoholic beverages, and 34% planned to purchase non-alcoholic drinks. According to data from DoorDash, July Fourth is the seventh busiest holiday for alcohol delivery. Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Thanksgiving Eve, and Black Friday were ahead of July Fourth.

Source: Numerator, DoorDash

Beer is the top holiday drink for the Fourth of July

The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) reports that Independence Day is the most popular beer holiday in the U.S., followed by Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Christmas.

According to the Numerator survey, 68% of respondents in 2023 planned to purchase beer for the Fourth of July, compared to 62% in 2022. Wine was the next most popular choice, with 35% of respondents in 2023 and 31% in 2022 saying they planned to purchase those beverages, followed by ready-to-drink cocktails and spirits, both with percentages of 27% in 2023 and 23% in 2022.

Source: National Beer Wholesalers Association, Numerator

75% of consumers expected inflation to impact their holiday spending in 2023

According to Numerator's survey, three-quarters of consumers expected rising prices to impact their Fourth of July spending, and two-fifths expected inflation to affect their Fourth of July plans. 34% said they expected a slight impact from inflation, 23% thought they’d see a moderate effect, and 17% said they would see a significant impact.

To combat rising prices, respondents expected to buy items on sale (52%), prepare budget-friendly foods (31%), and use coupons (27%) to save more. 20% said they would shop at dollar or discount stores, and 16% would switch stores or labels. 11% of respondents said they would buy less, while 9% said they would just travel less.

Source: Numerator

Prices on holiday food items decreased slightly in 2023

According to data from the American Farm Bureau Federation, the average cost of a July 4th cookout for ten people in 2023 was $67.73. This is slightly down from $69.68 in 2022, an all-time high. However, it is significantly more than in 2021, when the average cost was $59.50 (14% lower than in 2023).

Meat prices were generally lower in 2023 compared to 2022, with chicken down about 9%. Pork chops were roughly 6% cheaper in 2023 compared to 2022, but ground beef was up 4% in 2023, likely due to higher feed costs and decreased herd sizes. Shockingly, the cost of potatoes was up 26% in 2023 compared to 2022 due to weather and increased exports to Mexico. The cost of a half-gallon of ice cream rose about 3% in 2023, while pork and beans were down about 3% compared to 2022.

Source: American Farm Bureau Federation

The week before Independence Day saw a significant increase in food purchases

A review of 2022 purchase data from Numerator in the week leading up to the Fourth of July (6/27/22 - 7/4/22) found that sales of beef and burger patties increased more than 62% compared to the week prior (6/20/22-6/27/2022).

Sales of hotdogs during the holiday week were up 45% compared to the previous week, while sales of deli salads increased 33% and vegetable trays and mixed fresh vegetables increased 28%. Sales of potato chips increased 19% compared to the week before the Fourth of July.

Source: Numerator

In 2023, 50.7 million Americans were projected to travel over the July Fourth holiday

According to projections from the American Automobile Association (AAA), in 2023, more Americans were expected to travel 50 miles or more over the Fourth of July holiday than ever before. 50.7 million were projected to travel in 2023, breaking the record set in 2019 with 49 million travelers. Domestic travel was expected to increase by more than 2.1 million people in 2023 compared to 2022.

43.2 million people were expected to travel by car in 2023, an increase of 2.4% over 2022 and 4% more than in 2019. Air travel was also projected to set a new record, with 4.17 million Americans expected to fly over the July Fourth holiday, an 11.2% increase over 2022 and a 6.6% increase over 2019. Air travel was expected to reach a nearly 20-year high with 8.2% of travelers taking to the skies over the Fourth of July weekend.

Source: American Automobile Association (AAA)

The average number of traffic deaths increases over the Fourth of July

The National Safety Council (NSC) found that over the last six years, traffic deaths during the July Fourth holidays (considered 4.25 days) were 16.2% higher than the average number of traffic deaths over comparable periods (577 deaths over a July Fourth holiday weekend compared to 497 deaths during the same non-holiday length of time).

In general, the NSC found that summer holidays (Fourth of July, Memorial Day, and Labor Day) had the highest average fatality rates per day. Winter holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s had lower average traffic fatality rates. Over the last six years, fatalities over the Fourth of July holiday averaged 15.3% of total traffic deaths in July.

Source: National Safety Council

How to stay safe on Fourth of July

Staying safe on the Fourth of July generally involves standard precautions like keeping kids and pets away from fireworks, keeping a close eye on your grill, and not drinking and driving. But it's also wise to avoid what might seem like only minor issues like not wearing a seat belt while driving.

Not only is driving without a seat belt dangerous if you’re in an accident, but it may also increase your car insurance rates.

In general, moving violations like speeding, running red lights, or, in some states, driving without wearing a seat belt can increase your insurance rates in addition to any fine you have to pay for a ticket.

Any tickets you receive for a moving violation will appear on your driving record, which insurance companies check periodically to calculate your insurance rates. The more violations you have, the more your insurance premium will likely increase.

It's generally best to always wear a seat belt, even if you only go a short distance.

Bottom line

The Fourth of July is filled with BBQs, fun treats, beautiful fireworks, and time with family and friends. While it’s a great time to relax, it also impacts spending habits and could mean a larger grocery bill than you planned for.

As you prepare for the Fourth, look for discounts on food and celebratory items, pay attention to all safety precautions if you’re setting off fireworks or planning to grill, and keep everyone, including kids and pets, safe from the dazzling displays.