Thanksgiving is usually a time for big family gatherings filled with food, celebrations and reflections on all that we have to be grateful for. In 2020, though, things will be different for many Americans due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to minimize virus transmission and promote safety, families and friends may opt for smaller, separate dinners connected by video calls, whether by choice or because of state regulations. Football games might be postponed or played without fans and the Macyโs parade will be held virtually. Some Americans will proceed with celebrations as normal, though.
With safety being a chief concern this year, travel experts compared the 50 states across 10 key metrics to see which provide the safest conditions for the Thanksgiving holiday. Survey’s data set includes metrics examining how the state is handling the COVID-19 pandemic, such as positive tests and deaths per capita in the past week, as well as other indicators of general safety like the crime rate and the average number of DUI-related fatalities in November.
Safest States to Spend Thanksgiving
Overall Rank (1 = Best) | State | Total Score |
---|---|---|
1 | Vermont | 89.76 |
2 | Maine | 89.58 |
3 | New Hampshire | 80.00 |
4 | New York | 78.89 |
5 | Washington | 78.66 |
6 | Virginia | 76.55 |
7 | Massachusetts | 76.01 |
8 | Hawaii | 74.90 |
9 | New Jersey | 72.61 |
10 | Maryland | 71.68 |
11 | Pennsylvania | 71.24 |
12 | California | 71.02 |
13 | Connecticut | 70.86 |
14 | Oregon | 69.00 |
15 | Colorado | 67.16 |
16 | Ohio | 67.12 |
17 | Rhode Island | 66.82 |
18 | Utah | 63.97 |
19 | North Carolina | 61.51 |
20 | Kentucky | 61.43 |
21 | West Virginia | 60.93 |
22 | Minnesota | 58.45 |
23 | Arizona | 57.76 |
24 | Nevada | 57.67 |
25 | Delaware | 56.65 |
26 | Kansas | 54.54 |
27 | Michigan | 53.42 |
28 | Florida | 53.22 |
29 | Idaho | 52.57 |
30 | Georgia | 50.38 |
31 | Alaska | 47.94 |
32 | South Carolina | 47.40 |
33 | Wisconsin | 47.20 |
34 | Louisiana | 46.49 |
35 | Arkansas | 46.48 |
36 | Indiana | 46.25 |
37 | Illinois | 45.92 |
38 | Texas | 43.88 |
39 | Tennessee | 43.11 |
40 | Oklahoma | 42.83 |
41 | Wyoming | 42.19 |
42 | Alabama | 40.57 |
43 | Iowa | 38.92 |
44 | Nebraska | 38.62 |
45 | Mississippi | 38.22 |
46 | North Dakota | 36.16 |
47 | Missouri | 34.01 |
48 | Montana | 27.75 |
49 | New Mexico | 27.71 |
50 | South Dakota | 19.70 |
Thanksgiving Safety in Hawaii (1=Safest; 25=Avg.):
- 1st โ COVID-19 Positive Tests in the Past Week per Capita
- 4th โ COVID-19 Hospitalization Rate This Week
- 18th โ Share of Offline Homes
- 7th โ DUI-fatalities in Motor Vehicle Crashes Around Thanksgiving
- 2nd โ COVID-19 Death Rate in the Past Week per Capita