{
  "name": "Picnyk State of Event Pricing — Verified U.S. Event Price Observations",
  "description": "A ledger of 641 machine-verified public event price observations across 64 U.S. markets, drawn from 252 independent sources. Category medians and ranges are published only where at least three independent sources reported a numeric amount. Ranges are interquartile (25th–75th percentile), not absolute min/max. These are verified public observations, distinct from the modeled planning estimates shown on Picnyk cost pages.",
  "url": "https://www.picnyk.com/data/event-pricing-dataset.json",
  "humanReadableReport": "https://www.picnyk.com/event-planning-resources/state-of-event-pricing",
  "methodology": "https://www.picnyk.com/event-planning-resources/methodology",
  "measurementTechnique": "Picnyk Event Cost Model 2026.08",
  "publisher": {
    "name": "Picnyk",
    "url": "https://www.picnyk.com"
  },
  "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "attribution": "Source: Picnyk State of Event Pricing (https://www.picnyk.com/event-planning-resources/state-of-event-pricing). Verified public price observations, CC BY 4.0.",
  "reviewedAt": "2026-09-05",
  "temporalCoverage": "2026-08-21",
  "generatedAt": "2026-09-05T03:29:02.605Z",
  "summary": {
    "totalVerifiedObservations": 641,
    "citiesWithEvidence": 64,
    "citiesAtLimitedOrBetter": 54,
    "independentSourceCount": 252,
    "publisherTypeCounts": {
      "official-venue": 82,
      "government": 163,
      "local-vendor": 297,
      "hotel-convention": 99
    }
  },
  "categories": [
    {
      "category": "venue-fee",
      "observationCount": 204,
      "independentSourceCount": 90,
      "numericObservationCount": 370,
      "median": 300,
      "typicalRangeLow": 121,
      "typicalRangeHigh": 588,
      "rangeBasis": "interquartile (P25–P75)",
      "unit": null
    },
    {
      "category": "catering-per-guest",
      "observationCount": 132,
      "independentSourceCount": 60,
      "numericObservationCount": 222,
      "median": 25,
      "typicalRangeLow": 15,
      "typicalRangeHigh": 60,
      "rangeBasis": "interquartile (P25–P75)",
      "unit": null
    },
    {
      "category": "permits-insurance-security",
      "observationCount": 73,
      "independentSourceCount": 33,
      "numericObservationCount": 123,
      "median": 125,
      "typicalRangeLow": 49,
      "typicalRangeHigh": 300,
      "rangeBasis": "interquartile (P25–P75)",
      "unit": null
    },
    {
      "category": "measurable-logistics",
      "observationCount": 64,
      "independentSourceCount": 34,
      "numericObservationCount": 122,
      "median": 75,
      "typicalRangeLow": 45,
      "typicalRangeHigh": 300,
      "rangeBasis": "interquartile (P25–P75)",
      "unit": null
    },
    {
      "category": "staffing",
      "observationCount": 53,
      "independentSourceCount": 30,
      "numericObservationCount": 99,
      "median": 65,
      "typicalRangeLow": 33,
      "typicalRangeHigh": 325,
      "rangeBasis": "interquartile (P25–P75)",
      "unit": null
    },
    {
      "category": "service-charge",
      "observationCount": 52,
      "independentSourceCount": 33,
      "numericObservationCount": 89,
      "median": 24,
      "typicalRangeLow": 20,
      "typicalRangeHigh": 75,
      "rangeBasis": "interquartile (P25–P75)",
      "unit": null
    },
    {
      "category": "bar-beverage",
      "observationCount": 48,
      "independentSourceCount": 20,
      "numericObservationCount": 90,
      "median": 35,
      "typicalRangeLow": 18,
      "typicalRangeHigh": 60,
      "rangeBasis": "interquartile (P25–P75)",
      "unit": null
    },
    {
      "category": "rentals-delivery",
      "observationCount": 40,
      "independentSourceCount": 31,
      "numericObservationCount": 70,
      "median": 43,
      "typicalRangeLow": 7,
      "typicalRangeHigh": 238,
      "rangeBasis": "interquartile (P25–P75)",
      "unit": null
    },
    {
      "category": "setup-overtime",
      "observationCount": 28,
      "independentSourceCount": 16,
      "numericObservationCount": 48,
      "median": 400,
      "typicalRangeLow": 161,
      "typicalRangeHigh": 580,
      "rangeBasis": "interquartile (P25–P75)",
      "unit": null
    },
    {
      "category": "photography",
      "observationCount": 28,
      "independentSourceCount": 18,
      "numericObservationCount": 48,
      "median": 595,
      "typicalRangeLow": 438,
      "typicalRangeHigh": 2925,
      "rangeBasis": "interquartile (P25–P75)",
      "unit": null
    },
    {
      "category": "audiovisual-power",
      "observationCount": 25,
      "independentSourceCount": 20,
      "numericObservationCount": 43,
      "median": 150,
      "typicalRangeLow": 60,
      "typicalRangeHigh": 500,
      "rangeBasis": "interquartile (P25–P75)",
      "unit": null
    },
    {
      "category": "private-chef",
      "observationCount": 24,
      "independentSourceCount": 14,
      "numericObservationCount": 45,
      "median": 160,
      "typicalRangeLow": 90,
      "typicalRangeHigh": 269,
      "rangeBasis": "interquartile (P25–P75)",
      "unit": null
    },
    {
      "category": "seasonality",
      "observationCount": 22,
      "independentSourceCount": 15,
      "numericObservationCount": 38,
      "median": 435,
      "typicalRangeLow": 150,
      "typicalRangeHigh": 1425,
      "rangeBasis": "interquartile (P25–P75)",
      "unit": null
    },
    {
      "category": "minimum-spend",
      "observationCount": 20,
      "independentSourceCount": 11,
      "numericObservationCount": 33,
      "median": 500,
      "typicalRangeLow": 300,
      "typicalRangeHigh": 800,
      "rangeBasis": "interquartile (P25–P75)",
      "unit": null
    },
    {
      "category": "florals-decor",
      "observationCount": 11,
      "independentSourceCount": 5,
      "numericObservationCount": 16,
      "median": 98,
      "typicalRangeLow": 21,
      "typicalRangeHigh": 299,
      "rangeBasis": "interquartile (P25–P75)",
      "unit": null
    },
    {
      "category": "entertainment",
      "observationCount": 10,
      "independentSourceCount": 7,
      "numericObservationCount": 17,
      "median": 1200,
      "typicalRangeLow": 995,
      "typicalRangeHigh": 2799,
      "rangeBasis": "interquartile (P25–P75)",
      "unit": null
    },
    {
      "category": "conference-av",
      "observationCount": 7,
      "independentSourceCount": 5,
      "numericObservationCount": 9,
      "median": 250,
      "typicalRangeLow": 125,
      "typicalRangeHigh": 500,
      "rangeBasis": "interquartile (P25–P75)",
      "unit": null
    },
    {
      "category": "proposal-package",
      "observationCount": 7,
      "independentSourceCount": 4,
      "numericObservationCount": 6,
      "median": 523,
      "typicalRangeLow": 375,
      "typicalRangeHigh": 595,
      "rangeBasis": "interquartile (P25–P75)",
      "unit": null
    },
    {
      "category": "weather-backup",
      "observationCount": 3,
      "independentSourceCount": 3,
      "numericObservationCount": 5,
      "median": 600,
      "typicalRangeLow": 400,
      "typicalRangeHigh": 5000,
      "rangeBasis": "interquartile (P25–P75)",
      "unit": null
    },
    {
      "category": "planning",
      "observationCount": 1,
      "independentSourceCount": 1,
      "numericObservationCount": 2,
      "rangeBasis": null,
      "unit": null
    },
    {
      "category": "videography",
      "observationCount": 1,
      "independentSourceCount": 1,
      "numericObservationCount": 2,
      "rangeBasis": null,
      "unit": null
    },
    {
      "category": "gala-production",
      "observationCount": 1,
      "independentSourceCount": 1,
      "numericObservationCount": 2,
      "rangeBasis": null,
      "unit": null
    }
  ],
  "bestDocumentedMarkets": [
    {
      "citySlug": "san-francisco",
      "confidenceScore": 100,
      "confidenceLevel": "strong",
      "verifiedObservationCount": 34,
      "costPage": "https://www.picnyk.com/cost/san-francisco"
    },
    {
      "citySlug": "washington-dc",
      "confidenceScore": 92,
      "confidenceLevel": "strong",
      "verifiedObservationCount": 69,
      "costPage": "https://www.picnyk.com/cost/washington-dc"
    },
    {
      "citySlug": "fresno",
      "confidenceScore": 92,
      "confidenceLevel": "strong",
      "verifiedObservationCount": 47,
      "costPage": "https://www.picnyk.com/cost/fresno"
    },
    {
      "citySlug": "charleston",
      "confidenceScore": 92,
      "confidenceLevel": "strong",
      "verifiedObservationCount": 40,
      "costPage": "https://www.picnyk.com/cost/charleston"
    },
    {
      "citySlug": "virginia-beach",
      "confidenceScore": 84,
      "confidenceLevel": "strong",
      "verifiedObservationCount": 66,
      "costPage": "https://www.picnyk.com/cost/virginia-beach"
    },
    {
      "citySlug": "denver",
      "confidenceScore": 84,
      "confidenceLevel": "strong",
      "verifiedObservationCount": 19,
      "costPage": "https://www.picnyk.com/cost/denver"
    },
    {
      "citySlug": "philadelphia",
      "confidenceScore": 84,
      "confidenceLevel": "strong",
      "verifiedObservationCount": 20,
      "costPage": "https://www.picnyk.com/cost/philadelphia"
    },
    {
      "citySlug": "oklahoma-city",
      "confidenceScore": 74,
      "confidenceLevel": "moderate",
      "verifiedObservationCount": 5,
      "costPage": "https://www.picnyk.com/cost/oklahoma-city"
    },
    {
      "citySlug": "detroit",
      "confidenceScore": 68,
      "confidenceLevel": "moderate",
      "verifiedObservationCount": 31,
      "costPage": "https://www.picnyk.com/cost/detroit"
    },
    {
      "citySlug": "new-york",
      "confidenceScore": 68,
      "confidenceLevel": "moderate",
      "verifiedObservationCount": 20,
      "costPage": "https://www.picnyk.com/cost/new-york"
    },
    {
      "citySlug": "charlotte",
      "confidenceScore": 68,
      "confidenceLevel": "moderate",
      "verifiedObservationCount": 6,
      "costPage": "https://www.picnyk.com/cost/charlotte"
    },
    {
      "citySlug": "jacksonville",
      "confidenceScore": 60,
      "confidenceLevel": "moderate",
      "verifiedObservationCount": 24,
      "costPage": "https://www.picnyk.com/cost/jacksonville"
    }
  ]
}