If you love holiday lights, Zillow’s latest analysis of 7 million home listings has a list that might just change your travel plans.
10. Ransom Canyon, Texas
Typical home value: $375,732
Christmas lights are usually a drive-by affair, but in Ransom Canyon, community members and visitors can step inside homes to see decorated interiors. This tradition has been going on for nearly four decades.
9. Shaver Lake, California
Typical home value: $574,823
The annual Shaver Lake tree lighting has been a local tradition for over 25 years, featuring live music, hot cocoa and an appearance by Santa himself.
Zillow said, “With real snow, evergreen forests and lakeside views, Shaver Lake naturally appeals to holiday enthusiasts.”
8. Windcrest, Texas
Typical home value: $308,343
Residents of this San Antonio suburb take Christmas seriously. The annual Windcrest Light-Up is a decades-old tradition that turns neighborhood streets into sprawling holiday light displays.
Neighbors compete for awards across various contest categories, including “Best Use of Inflatables” and “Best Use of Handmade Decor.”
7. Palmer Lake, Colorado
Typical home value: $532,161
The town’s holiday season centers on its iconic star. Built in 1935 at the height of the Great Depression, the Palmer Lake Star shines nightly from the Saturday after Thanksgiving through December to “proclaim the spirit of goodwill.”
Made up of 92 lightbulbs, the star was added to the state’s register of historic properties in 2013.
6. Natchitoches, Louisiana
Typical home value: $185,180
The oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase Territory, Natchitoches is home to one of the country’s longest-running community-based holiday celebrations, according to the festival’s website.
The six-week Christmas celebration begins the Saturday before Thanksgiving and runs through January 6, featuring more than 300,000 lights and over 100 set pieces each night.
5. Dahlonega, Georgia
Typical home value: $376,741
Dahlonega’s historic town square is decked out for the season with festive events happening almost daily – from caroling and carriage rides to live theater.
The North Georgia mountain town’s month-long celebration starts the day after Thanksgiving and runs through the first week of January.
4. Breckenridge, Colorado
Typical home value: $1,170,091
Known for its world-class skiing, the Rocky Mountain town also goes all-in on holiday cheer. Each year, hundreds of Santas run down Main Street in Breckenridge’s “Race of the Santas.”
For those who prefer a slower-paced experience, downtown is decked out with 250,000 holiday lights, spanning over 59,000 feet. Even dogs get in on the fun, with a holiday parade of their own.
3. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Typical home value: $344,320
The Lehigh Valley town’s Christmas roots date back to 1741, when it was christened Bethlehem. It’s often credited as the home of America’s first documented, decorated Christmas tree.
These days, the community celebrates the season with traditions like the Christkindlmarkt, a German-inspired Christmas market, along with carriage rides and free photos with Santa.
2. McAdenville, North Carolina
Typical home value: $471,800
Nicknamed “Christmas Town USA,” McAdenville’s annual celebration draws hundreds of thousands of visitors. The small town in Gaston County has been lighting up Christmas displays since the 1950s, with over 100 decorated homes and half a million lights across 250 evergreen trees.
The lights shine each night from Dec. 1 to Dec. 26 between 5:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.
1. Santa Claus, Indiana
Typical home value: $294,208
Santa Claus, Indiana, took the top spot, with more than half of its listings referencing the holiday spirit. The town in Spencer County is home to Santa’s Post Office and has made Christmas part of everyday life.
Even in a town known for Christmas year-round, the holidays still raise the stakes. Each December, Santa Claus hosts a three-weekend celebration featuring lights, ice skating and chestnuts on an open fire.
“Our community embraces the spirit of Christmas and takes great pride in welcoming visitors who come to celebrate and experience the magic unique to Santa Claus, Indiana,” Melissa Arnold, executive director of the Spencer County Visitors Bureau, said.
“Local businesses add extra sparkle to the holiday season and help create a cheerful atmosphere for visitors and residents alike,” Arnold added.
Key Takeaways
- Zillow’s analysis ranked 10 towns, from Santa Claus, Indiana to Ransom Canyon, Texas, based on holiday-related keywords in home listings.
- Each town offers a distinct tradition, from tree lightings and light-ups to historic stars and Santa races.
- Typical home values range from $185,180 in Natchitoches to $1,170,091 in Breckenridge.
Zillow analyzed descriptions for more than 7 million homes listed for sale between Nov. 1, 2023, and Oct. 31, 2025.
