The Best Cities for Real Estate Agents
A realtor’s success in selling a home can come down to conditions that are out of their control, such as the market they operate within. We researched which U.S. cities are the best for real estate agents.
When Do Americans Stop Believing in Santa
by State
If you celebrate Christmas, it’s likely that you believed in Santa Claus at some point in your life. As a child, it’s part of the joy of Christmas as children send off their Christmas wish lists to the North Pole, bake cookies for Santa and his reindeer, and try to listen for him on Christmas Eve.
Unfortunately, however, it eventually all comes to an end as children realize that Santa isn’t real and he isn’t the one putting the presents under the tree. We all stop believing in Santa Claus at different ages while others never believed at all. At House Method, we usually write about more practical things like the cheapest home warranty or the best home warranty companies, but because we’re in the holiday spirit, we did some research on what age Americans stopped believing in the big man in the big red suit, Santa.
We surveyed over 4,500 Americans and asked them if they ever believed in Santa and if so, at what age did they stop believing. Keep reading to see what we learned:
We went ahead and broke down the average age Americans stopped believing in Santa by state. Overall, the average age in the United States for no longer believing in Santa Claus is 8.4 years old.
Mississippi has the oldest average age at 10.2 years old. Not far behind is Iowa where the average age is 9.9 years old. Rounding out the top five oldest are Montana (9.8), Hawaii (9.5), and Delaware and Washington, D.C. are tied at 9.4 years old.
At the other end are states like Oregon and Arkansas where kids stopped believing a little earlier in life. People of Oregon stopped believing at 7.4 years old, the youngest in the nation, and in Arkansas at 7.6 years old. Nevada (7.7), Oklahoma and Wisconsin (7.8 each), and Alabama and South Dakota (7.9 each) round out the top five.
If 10 seems too old to stop believing in Santa and seven seems too young, just remember there are people who never believed in Santa at all.
New Mexico and Vermont have a lot of non-believers. Both states had 10% of respondents say that they never believed in Santa at all. But on the flip side, Maine, Tennessee, Utah, and Wyoming have enough Santa spirit to spread across the entire country with 0% of respondents in those states say they never believed in Santa. That means everyone who took the survey in those states believed in Santa at one point or another.
Read more: American Home Shield review
Below is a table with the information from both of the map graphics.
When Do Americans Stop Believing in Santa by State
| State | Average Age | % Who Never Believed |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 7.9 | 3.0% |
| Alaska | 8.5 | 5.6% |
| Arizona | 8.3 | 2.8% |
| Arkansas | 7.6 | 6.9% |
| California | 8.1 | 7.0% |
| Colorado | 8.2 | 1.5% |
| Connecticut | 8.5 | 1.4% |
| Delaware | 9.4 | 4.5% |
| District of Columbia | 9.4 | 2.6% |
| Florida | 8.7 | 2.6% |
| Georgia | 8.4 | 5.8% |
| Hawaii | 9.5 | 5.0% |
| Idaho | 8.7 | 3.3% |
| Illinois | 8.5 | 3.8% |
| Indiana | 8.4 | 9.5% |
| Iowa | 9.9 | 9.8% |
| Kansas | 8.5 | 2.8% |
| Kentucky | 8.3 | 3.2% |
| Louisiana | 8.6 | 3.8% |
| Maine | 8.1 | 0% |
| Maryland | 8.4 | 8.3% |
| Massachusetts | 8.3 | 2.9% |
| Michigan | 8.3 | 2.6% |
| Minnesota | 9 | 6.0% |
| Mississippi | 10.2 | 8.3% |
| Missouri | 8.3 | 3.9% |
| Montana | 9.8 | 6.7% |
| Nebraska | 8.6 | 3.6% |
| Nevada | 7.7 | 5.9% |
| New Hampshire | 9.1 | 2.9% |
| New Jersey | 8.1 | 5.1% |
| New Mexico | 8.7 | 10.0% |
| New York | 8.3 | 3.3% |
| North Carolina | 8.6 | 3.8% |
| North Dakota | 8.6 | 3.4% |
| Ohio | 8.2 | 2.2% |
| Oklahoma | 7.8 | 4.9% |
| Oregon | 7.4 | 4.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 8.3 | 1.6% |
| Rhode Island | 8.8 | 3.7% |
| South Carolina | 8.8 | 5.0% |
| South Dakota | 7.9 | 7.7% |
| Tennessee | 8.2 | 0% |
| Texas | 8.8 | 4.6% |
| Utah | 8 | 0% |
| Vermont | 8 | 10.0% |
| Virginia | 8.5 | 0.7% |
| Washington | 8.1 | 4.5% |
| West Virginia | 8.5 | 0% |
| Wisconsin | 7.8 | 1.2% |
| Wyoming | 8.9 | 0% |
Methodology
We surveyed 4,580 Americans in mid-November, 2019, asking them when they stopped believing in Santa Claus. The survey respondents were not limited to specific demographics. We estimate the margin of error at 1%.
Home Warranty
Home Warranty
The Median Age of Homes
in the United States by Build Year [Data Study]
Our study analyzes U.S. census data to find the median age of homes in the United States. We grouped the data by state, county and city. See how your location comapres.
Home Warranty
The Home Improvements Most Desired by Americans in 2020
In home ownership is there will always be things to fix, replace, or improve around the home. Whether that’s upgrading an appliance, buying and installing a new appliance, remodeling a room, or adding to an outdoor area, there’s always a home improvement project to tackle.
Home Warranty
The Home Depot Home Services – HVAC Services Review
If your heater stops working or your air conditioner needs to be replaced, consider Home Depot’s HVAC Installation and Repair Services. Read our comprehensive review to learn more.
Home Warranty
The Best Cities for Veterans to Buy a Home
When buying a home, location plays a major role in cost and quality of life, especially for veterans. We ranked the best U.S. cities for veteran homebuyers using 10 key factors.
Home Warranty
Are Home Warranties a Scam?
Learn which home warranty companies are scams, the signs that indicate a dishonest company, and how to find the best home warranty coverage.
Home Warranty
Home Warranty Regulation
Learn about the regulation behind home warranties, the terms and conditions of home warranty contracts, and how they affect homeowners and service companies.
Home Warranty
Are Home Improvements Tax-Deductible?
The line between home repairs and home improvements can be thin, so it’s important to know the difference between them and which one qualifies for tax deductions.
Home Warranty
Home Repair Grants: What You Need to Know
The federal government offers home repair grants to low-income homeowners as a way to provide assistance for house repairs and improvements. Keep reading to learn more.
Additional Resources