Plano Ranks 25th for Valentine's Day, Dallas Falls to 36th
North Texas cities show mixed results in national Valentine's Day rankings, with Plano cracking the top 25 while Dallas slides down the list.
WalletHub’s annual analysis of the 100 largest U.S. cities placed Plano ahead of Dallas for the second consecutive year, evaluating locations based on budget considerations, available activities, gift accessibility and weather forecasts.
San Francisco topped the national rankings, followed by San Diego, Las Vegas, Atlanta and Seattle. Austin claimed the best spot among Texas cities at 12th nationally.
The rankings reveal stark differences across North Texas. While Plano secured its spot in the top quarter, Fort Worth landed at 37th, just one position behind Dallas. The proximity in rankings suggests similar strengths and weaknesses between the two major cities.
Among cost considerations, both Garland and Plano ranked among the five cheapest cities nationally for a three-course meal for two, though the study noted Garland had the fewest florists per capita and ranked near the bottom for chocolate shops.
The Valentine’s Day economy remains robust, with WalletHub estimating the average person spends about $200 on the holiday. Hallmark reports approximately 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged annually, not including prepackaged valentines distributed in elementary school classrooms.
This year’s celebration falls on Saturday, Feb. 14, providing couples and families more flexibility to mark the occasion without competing with weekday obligations.
The holiday’s origins trace back to Saint Valentine, though historians identify multiple Christian martyrs with that name. One legend describes Valentine as a priest who secretly married couples after Roman Emperor Claudius II banned marriage for soldiers. Another story credits him with sending the first “valentine” — a letter signed “From your Valentine” — before his execution.
Some historians believe Feb. 14 was chosen to align with Lupercalia, a pagan fertility festival held in mid-February. By the Middle Ages, people in France and England believed birds began mating around that time, reinforcing the connection to romance.
The first American valentine was sent in 1849 by Esther Howland of Worcester, Massachusetts. Hallmark began producing Valentine’s Day cards in 1916.
Other Texas cities in the top-100 rankings included Houston at 23rd, San Antonio at 43rd, El Paso at 74th, Corpus Christi at 76th, Arlington at 84th, Lubbock at 87th, Irving at 89th, Laredo at 92nd and Garland at 93rd.
Valentine’s Day remains a commercial rather than federal holiday. Government offices, banks, schools and post offices operate normal hours on Feb. 14, with no changes to federal services.