Full Survey Results
Key Findings
The “go big or go quiet” divide
One of the clearest patterns is the near-total absence of middle ground. Respondents chose either an iconic, crowded finale – think Times Square, Disneyland, or the Las Vegas Strip. On the other hand, the other side would opt for a slow, cinematic moment involving a sunset or a star-filled sky.
There’s very little interest in anything that sits between those extremes. It’s either confetti cannons or the soft hum of nature.
Nature steals the show- even from fireworks
While the top of the ranking is dominated by big, urban spectacles, the long list as a whole leans heavily toward nature. People want to spend their final moments watching sunsets, overlooks, beaches, dunes, mountain ridges, frozen lakes, national parks – the calmer the landscape, the more tender the sentiment behind it.
There’s something telling about the fact that dozens of people chose to spend their final night simply watching the sky change colour. You don’t pick that unless it actually matters to you.
Americans like their endings to feel like “home,” even if they are not literally home
Many respondents chose experiences that aren’t globally iconic but are locally beloved – lighthouse sunsets, small-town fireworks, and boardwalk walks. This suggests a desire to end the year – and, in this example, life – in a place that feels familiar rather than flashy. Even when people picked big cities, they often leaned toward local landmarks rather than their state’s most famous export.
The power of water
Beaches, piers, lakes, riversides, harbors – water shows up everywhere in the dataset. Even in inland states, waterfront spaces are repeatedly chosen. There appears to be an emotional pull to standing beside water at the end of something: it’s calming, forgiving, and some people may see it as a way to cleanse, in a way that fireworks cannot replicate.
Crowds appeal more than people admit
Despite the romantic preference for solitude seen across many natural settings, the top of the ranking favors events that draw enormous crowds. Times Square, Disneyland, Las Vegas, Seattle’s Space Needle – these choices reflect a desire for energy, connection, and the reassurance of being part of something big.
Even people who avoid crowds in everyday life seem open to one final, monumental shared moment.
A final night that mirrors who we are
The data ultimately shows that Americans imagine their last New Year’s Eve in a way that mirrors their personalities: extroverts go big, introverts go quiet. And nearly every choice – whether a canyon rm or a casino roof – comes with a sense of “this feels like me.”
Final Thoughts
This wasn’t a study about death. It was a study about meaning – and what people reach for when they imagine their final New Year’s Eve with absolute clarity.
Some want noise, spectacle, and a countdown shouted with thousands of strangers. Others want a horizon, a loved one, and nothing else.
But the thread running through every selection is intention: whatever the moment looks like, people want their last night to feel deliberate, beautiful, and unmistakably their own.
Methodology
This study is based on a survey of 3,026 U.S. respondents, conducted in December, exploring how people would choose to spend their final New Year’s Eve. The sample was designed to reflect a broad cross-section of the population, with balance across age, gender, and geographic region to ensure the findings represent nationwide sentiment.
Stratified sampling was used to capture demographic variation, followed by post-stratification weighting to align results with national population benchmarks. Together, the data offer a snapshot of how Americans imagine marking a final New Year’s Eve, revealing the experiences and settings they value most when reflecting on closure, meaning, and celebration.
- Nationally licensed life insurance agent with over 16 years of experience
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Anthony Martin is a nationally licensed insurance expert with over 16 years of experience and has personally served over 10,000 clients with their life insurance needs. He frequently authors entrepreneurial and life insurance content for Forbes, Inc.com, Newsweek, Kiplinger, and Entreprenuer.com. Anthony has been consulted as an expert life insurance source for dozens of high-profile websites such as Forbes, Bankrate, Reuters, Fox Business, CNBC, Investopedia, Insurance.com, Yahoo Finance, and many more.
- Nationally licensed life insurance agent with over 20 years of experience
- Best selling Amazon author.
Jeff Root is a nationally licensed life insurance expert with over 20 years of experience. He has personally helped over 3000 clients with their life insurance needs. Jeff is a best-selling Amazon author and the managing partner of a highly successful insurance brokerage that manages over 2,500 licensed insurance agents across the USA. He has been a featured life insurance source for prestigious websites such as Forbes, Bloomberg, MarketWatch, Nerdwallet, and many more.
- Nationally licensed life insurance agent with over 15 years of experience
- Best selling Amazon author of five insurance sales books.
David Duford is a nationally licensed insurance expert with over 15 years of experience. He has personally helped more than 15,000 clients buy life insurance. David has been featured as an expert source for highly authoritative publications such as A.M. Best and Insurancenewsnet. He also runs one of the largest Youtube channels to help aspiring insurance agents serve their clients better.
- Nationally licensed life insurance agent with over 20 years of experience
- Best selling Amazon author.
Jeff Root is a nationally licensed life insurance expert with over 20 years of experience. He has personally helped over 3000 clients with their life insurance needs. Jeff is a best-selling Amazon author and the managing partner of a highly successful insurance brokerage that manages over 2,500 licensed insurance agents across the USA. He has been a featured life insurance source for prestigious websites such as Forbes, Bloomberg, MarketWatch, Nerdwallet, and many more.
- Nationally licensed life insurance agent with over 15 years of experience
- Best selling Amazon author of five insurance sales books.
David Duford is a nationally licensed insurance expert with over 15 years of experience. He has personally helped more than 15,000 clients buy life insurance. David has been featured as an expert source for highly authoritative publications such as A.M. Best and Insurancenewsnet. He also runs one of the largest Youtube channels to help aspiring insurance agents serve their clients better.
