People in These 15 States Spend the Most on Holiday Shopping

For many people, shopping for gifts is one of the most hated holiday traditions around. Fighting the crowds is never fun, and too much holiday spending just causes more headaches. But some folks don’t seem to care. People in these states spend thousands on their holiday shopping every year, according to research by TitleMax.

There are plenty of ways to save on holiday shopping, but the residents of these states don’t care. People in the small state at No. 3 spends more than most, but no one is coming close to the No. 1 location anytime soon.

15. Maryland

Inner Harbor of Baltimore, Maryland.
Maryland has some big holiday spenders among its many millionaire households. | Melpomenem/iStock/Getty Images

Amount spent per capita: $1,032

Population: 6.05 million

Maryland has more millionaire households, and apparently, they don’t mind going big with their holiday spending. Based on the population and the per capita figure, The Old Line State drops more than 6.4 billion around during the holiday season every year.

Next: Home to financially savvy big spenders.

14. Massachusetts

Boston, Massachusetts, where holiday spending is through the roof.
Financially savvy Bay Staters let loose around the holidays. | Sean Pavone/iStock/Getty Images

Amount spent per capita: $1,072

Population: 6.85 million

You’ll find some of the most financially savvy people in America living in Massachusetts. Either they throw caution to the wind when they do their holiday shopping, or they can afford to get out of control around the holidays since they’re so smart for the rest of the year. Whatever the cause, Bay Staters drop more than $1,700 when they do their holiday shopping.

Next: Big holiday spenders despite rough circumstances.

13. Montana

Aerial view of Main Street in Bozeman, Montana.
It’s tough making a living in Montana, but residents spend a lot on holiday shopping. | DianeBentleyRaymond/iStock/Getty Images

Amount spent per capita: $1,078

Population: 1.05 million

Montana is one of the worst states to make a living in the U.S., but that doesn’t matter when winter arrives. In spite of or because of the fact it’s so hard to make ends meet, people in Montana have no problem opening their wallets when they shop for presents.

Next: We can’t chalk up this total to reality TV stars.

12. New Jersey

DJ Pauly D is from New Jersey, where people spend freely on their holiday shopping.
DJ Pauly D spends roughly $1,089 on presents, according to the data. | Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for Sugar Factory

Amount spent per capita: $1,089

Population: 9 million

Teresa Giudice from the Real Housewives of New Jersey and Pauly D from Jersey Shore. Those are just two of the rich reality TV stars from The Garden State, but they can’t be the only ones responsible for the big holiday spending. All told, folks in New Jersey spend close to $10 billion total around the holidays every year.

Next: This state has rich people who spend big around the holidays.

11. Connecticut

A street in New Haven, Connecticut.
Connecticut’s rich residents love to prove it during the holidays. | AlbertPego/iStock/Getty Images

Amount spent per capita: $1,091

Population: 3.58 million

It’s widely known that Connecticut is an affluent state, and the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk metro area is stacked with millionaires. Well, the rich residents of The Nutmeg State love to show it during the holidays. They spend  $1,091 on gifts and other holiday necessities, which is more than $200 above the national average of $967.

Next: We move into the top 10.

1o. Hawaii

Honolulu, Hawaii
Hawaii isn’t a cheap place, but residents don’t skimp around the holidays. | Sorincolac/iStock/Getty Images

Amount spent per capita: $1,092

Population: 1.42 million

It’s not cheap living in Hawaii, and that carries over to the holiday shopping. Hawaii and Connecticut are neck-and-neck, but residents of The Aloha State do a tad more holiday spending each year. Even though they shell out $1,092 every year, Hawaiians aren’t anywhere close to being No. 1 on the list.

Next: Two big things in our next state.

9. Alaska

Holiday spending approaches $1,100 in Alaska.
Maybe she’ll cheer up when she sees her holiday haul. | Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Amount spent per capita: $1,094

Population: 739,795

Alaska has several sprawling American cities with the largest footprints, but those aren’t the only big things in the state. The bills around the holidays are big, too, as residents spend close to $1,100 on their shopping. Given the population and the per capita spending amount, all of Alaska forks over nearly $810 million each holiday season.

Next: Holiday spending isn’t a reason to hate this state.

8. Florida

Floridians goes crazy with its Christmas shopping and holiday spending.
“Our stacks of bills from holiday spending are this big.” | Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

Amount spent per capita: $1,105

Population: 20.9 million

There are plenty of reasons to hate Florida, but residents show the love come holiday season. The residents of The Sunshine State spend a bundle on their presents. We can admit the $1,105 per capita figure is impressive, but it’s not for us to say if Floridians’ holiday spending is one of the best or one of the worst holiday traditions.

Next: Perhaps big spending is a form of retail therapy.

7. Wyoming

Wyoming State highway sign.
Is holiday spending a form of retail therapy for Wyoming residents? Maybe. | robertcicchetti/Getty Images

Amount spent per capita: $1,119

Population: 579,315

The soaring mountains with majestic peaks provide natural beauty in Wyoming, but there are some negatives, too:

Maybe going big with the holiday spending is a form of retail therapy for folks in the Cowboy State.

Next: The struggling economy doesn’t show in December.

6. South Dakota

Mount Rushmore in South Dakota.
South Dakota citizens spend freely for the holidays. | Kjsmith47/iStock/Getty Images

Amount spent per capita: $1,154

Population: 869,666

South Dakota is a state with one of the worst economies in America, but you wouldn’t know it when December rolls around. The Mount Rushmore State is firmly in the top 10 of states with the biggest holiday spending. Resident dish out nearly $200 more than the $967 national average.

Next: High taxes don’t impact the holiday shopping.

5. Maine

Portland Head Lighthouse in Fort Williams park
The holidays are big business in Maine. | krblokhin/iStock/Getty Images

Amount spent per capita: $1,196

Population: 1.33 million

Soaring property, income, and sales taxes give Maine one of highest tax burdens of any state in the U.S. All in all, residents of The Pine Tree State see more than 11% of their income go back to the government. Despite that, citizens shell out nearly $1,200 every year on their holiday spending.

Next: Big holiday shopping bills are a sure thing.

4. Nevada

Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Nevada spends a fortune on holiday shopping every year.
The casinos aren’t the only places Nevada residents lay down their money. | irisphoto2/iStock/Getty Images

Amount spent per capita: $1,210

Population: 2.99 million

We all know about Nevada’s love for gambling, but the gaming tables aren’t the only places people put their money down. Folks in The Silver State go big with their holiday spending and shell out more than $1,200 every year. All told, the final bill comes out to be around $3.61 billion.

Next: Holiday spending is one reason to get excited about this state.

3. Delaware

Holiday spending tops $1,200 in Delaware, but it has a long way to go to spending the most in America.
Go big or go home is Delaware’s holiday spending motto. | Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images

Amount spent per capita: $1,213

Population: 961,939

We know Wayne from the movie Wayne’s World wasn’t very excited to virtually visit Delaware, but it might have helped if he went for Christmas. People in The First State go wild with their holiday spending every year, plopping down $1,213 per capita. The small population plus the big spending equal about $1.16 billion worth of holiday shopping.

Next: Comfortably No. 2 in America.

2. Vermont

Vermont scenery
Vermont — home to pretty views and big bills from holiday spending. | Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images

Amount spent per capita: $1,249

Population: 623,657

We’ve already visited a wide swath of New England states so far, and we’re back again. Vermont has its share of expenses — housing, food, and gasoline among them — but that doesn’t impact the pocketbook. People in The Green Mountain State are comfortably No. 2 in terms of holiday spending at $1,249, which is $36 more than No. 3 Delaware.

Next: No one is coming close to the No. 1 state.

1. New Hampshire

New Hampshire
New Hampshire residents are green and spend green around the holidays. | SeanPavonePhoto/iStock/Getty Images

Amount spent per capita: $1,567

Population: 1.34 million

New Hampshire is one of the greenest American states taking care of the environment. Mother Nature’s beauty is the only green citizens are interested in saving come holiday season. The Granite State spends the most on holiday shopping, and it’s not even a contest. No. 2 Vermont is nearly $300 behind New Hampshire’s per capita holiday spending figure.

All population figures are 2017 estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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