This Massachusetts City’s Population is Tanking

Massachusetts is a great state to live, in my opinion. But, one Massachusetts city's population is declining. It's actually in the top five cities in the U.S. with the most declining population. Crazy, right?

The new study comes from FinanceBuzz.com. The staff studied America's biggest cities, "including population, jobs, earnings, and other metrics to find which cities are booming and which ones are going bust." FinanceBuzz.com also adds, "Cities are constantly evolving, and not always in the same ways. While one city may have solid finances and a growing population, another may see its people and prosperity trickle away." As for methodology, the FinanceBuzz crew looked at and studied more than 100 of America's biggest cities and found the fastest-rising and fastest-declining places in the country.

Before we get to our state, let's look at some key findings. San Francisco, California; New Orleans, Louisiana; and New York, New York, are the fastest-declining cities in the U.S., according to the study. San Francisco is No. 1, as the city's population has dropped by 8.29% since 2019. It's "the sharpest drop of any of the 117 cities we looked at," FinanceBuzz says. "Additionally, home values have risen at the slowest rate of any city in the country — nearly 73% slower than the national average." Hey, at least they have the 49ers, and nobody can take that away from them. Meanwhile, Frisco, Texas; Gilbert, Arizona; and Chandler, Arizona are the fastest-rising cities in the U.S. Texas actually has a whopping four cities that rank in the top 25 fastest-declining metropolitan areas.

So, which Massachusetts city's population is tanking? It's actually Boston, which surprises me, because it's such a cool city. "A 6% decline in population in the last three years, coupled with home value increases that are 62% slower than average, were more than enough to land Boston in the top five," the study states. I still heart Boston. Find more here.

Christmas is a time to visit family and friends and get away from the daily grind. The holidays can be a wonderful time, but they can also be very expensive. From buying lots of Christmas gifts for family and friends to having to pay for plane tickets and travel, holiday expenses can really add up. But, the good news is that there are some affordable Christmas vacations out there. Moreover, Massachusetts has one of the most affordable Christmas vacations, too.

One good thing about traveling during the winter months is that it's often the off-season for popular vacation destinations. Of course, the holidays are a busy travel time. That makes late December a difficult time to find a deal for travel. But, if you don't mind the cold and snow, some northern areas of the U.S. offer very good deals. That's true even during the Christmas season.

Some tips for finding a good deal for holiday vacationing include searching a lot of booking websites, comparing different hotel dates to find the most reasonable ones and finding bundle deals. Also, keep your eyes open for special deals on resorts and hotels that are just opening. That's because sometimes, during those opening months, new vacation spots try to attract a loyal clientele by offering special deals. One more tip is to search for airfare rates individually even if you are traveling as a couple or a group. If you put in a search for a group of tickets, the algorithms will often leave out information on one or two cheaper tickets being available. They'll just send you a group of tickets, sitting together, all at the same price. So, you might get a deal if you search for one ticket, instead.

So, what are the best affordable Christmas vacations in the U.S.? Here are some popular spots that won't break the bank.

Frankenmuth, Michigan, is the self-proclaimed Christmas capital city of the world. Okay, so many argue that Strasbourg, France, takes that honor, but Frankenmuth is close, and it's a lot cheaper to get there. No passport needed. The villiage's Franconian-style architecture has given it the loving name "Little Bavaria." Frankenmuth is also home to the world's biggest Christmas store.

Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is located in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, and it offers a beautiful view of snowy hills and Amish country. It's a very old-fashioned type of town, making it a charming winter getaway. There are plenty of fun, holiday-type things to do in Lancaster that won't break the bank.

You might never guess, but Las Vegas, Nevada, is a great spot for an affordable holiday trip. Think about it. Most people wouldn't think to go to "Sin City" for Christmas. Of course, it's much less the "sin" part these days, as Las Vegas offers fun activities for the whole family.

Charlotte, North Carolina, is a great spot to visit in the holiday season, because it's not as crowded as other times during the year. It's also less expensive to visit during the holidays and offers beautiful decorations during Christmas. Don't forget the many holiday markets.

Fort Myers, Florida, is a popular destination for snow birds. But, that's doesn't mean to skip it during the holidays. If you want to get away from the snow and ice, Fort Myers offers a great escape over Christmas and for prices that are more reasonable than in many other areas of Florida.

Boston, Massachusetts, gets cold in the winter, but it also has that classic Christmas charm. It's a big city with a smaller city feel during the holidays. What's more, it's a more affordable winter vacation destination than many other areas, and you won't have the fight the crowds.