Location plays a hand in how bright or gloomy our days are. For years, researchers have studied the science of happiness and found that its key ingredients include a positive mental state, healthy body, strong social connections, job satisfaction and financial well-being. However, money can only make you so happy – people who make $75,000 a year won’t get any higher satisfaction from more money. Consider also the fact that while the U.S. is one of the richest countries, it ranks only 15th on the World Happiness Report.
But not everywhere in the U.S. experiences a uniform level of happiness. As this study aims to illustrate, moving to a certain city may help you be more content. WalletHub drew upon the various findings of positive-psychology research in order to determine which among more than 180 of the largest U.S. cities is home to the happiest people in America. We examined each city based on 29 key indicators of happiness, ranging from the depression rate to the income-growth rate to average leisure time spent per day.
To see which states combine all the necessary components of happiness, check out WalletHub’s report on the Happiest States in America.
Cassandra Happe, WalletHub Analyst
Main Findings
Happiest Cities in the U.S.
Overall Rank | City | Total Score | Emotional & Physical Well-Being Rank | Income & Employment Rank | Community & Environment Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Fremont, CA | 74.16 | 1 | 85 | 3 |
2 | Overland Park, KS | 69.78 | 6 | 36 | 6 |
3 | San Jose, CA | 69.54 | 2 | 33 | 37 |
4 | Madison, WI | 68.99 | 7 | 17 | 9 |
5 | Irvine, CA | 68.22 | 4 | 26 | 24 |
6 | Honolulu, HI | 68.03 | 19 | 40 | 1 |
7 | San Francisco, CA | 67.01 | 3 | 81 | 30 |
8 | Pearl City, HI | 66.90 | 15 | 151 | 2 |
9 | Columbia, MD | 65.77 | 5 | 170 | 60 |
10 | Scottsdale, AZ | 65.26 | 27 | 72 | 4 |
11 | Sioux Falls, SD | 65.06 | 10 | 57 | 47 |
12 | Huntington Beach, CA | 64.28 | 13 | 77 | 53 |
13 | Minneapolis, MN | 63.98 | 17 | 22 | 57 |
14 | Garden Grove, CA | 63.91 | 24 | 52 | 15 |
15 | San Diego, CA | 63.75 | 20 | 43 | 19 |
16 | Fargo, ND | 63.68 | 11 | 20 | 134 |
17 | Portland, ME | 63.46 | 43 | 3 | 27 |
18 | Seattle, WA | 63.39 | 8 | 14 | 128 |
19 | Lincoln, NE | 63.35 | 21 | 27 | 43 |
20 | Bismarck, ND | 63.23 | 12 | 11 | 149 |
21 | Gilbert, AZ | 62.99 | 40 | 44 | 7 |
22 | Charleston, SC | 62.53 | 45 | 15 | 18 |
23 | South Burlington, VT | 62.42 | 16 | 30 | 139 |
24 | Glendale, CA | 62.31 | 32 | 92 | 13 |
25 | Anaheim, CA | 62.28 | 26 | 55 | 36 |
26 | Oakland, CA | 62.24 | 14 | 104 | 77 |
27 | Chula Vista, CA | 61.75 | 25 | 87 | 28 |
28 | Raleigh, NC | 61.73 | 9 | 126 | 99 |
29 | Santa Rosa, CA | 61.48 | 28 | 34 | 50 |
30 | Santa Clarita, CA | 61.40 | 23 | 122 | 49 |
31 | Boise, ID | 61.35 | 34 | 5 | 76 |
32 | Oxnard, CA | 61.31 | 36 | 94 | 16 |
33 | Chandler, AZ | 60.90 | 50 | 84 | 17 |
34 | Oceanside, CA | 60.50 | 31 | 102 | 41 |
35 | Plano, TX | 60.47 | 35 | 93 | 39 |
36 | Rapid City, SD | 60.19 | 58 | 19 | 54 |
37 | Aurora, IL | 60.04 | 29 | 149 | 33 |
38 | Anchorage, AK | 59.89 | 62 | 78 | 14 |
39 | Yonkers, NY | 59.88 | 22 | 147 | 87 |
40 | Chesapeake, VA | 59.77 | 61 | 103 | 12 |
41 | Omaha, NE | 59.71 | 42 | 60 | 66 |
42 | Virginia Beach, VA | 59.62 | 44 | 106 | 44 |
43 | Santa Ana, CA | 59.45 | 53 | 13 | 89 |
44 | St. Paul, MN | 59.40 | 37 | 110 | 59 |
45 | Cedar Rapids, IA | 59.36 | 60 | 82 | 34 |
46 | Tempe, AZ | 59.34 | 64 | 32 | 32 |
47 | Peoria, AZ | 58.86 | 65 | 128 | 8 |
48 | Pembroke Pines, FL | 58.79 | 48 | 160 | 26 |
49 | Juneau, AK | 58.73 | 45 | 56 | 112 |
50 | Washington, DC | 58.69 | 18 | 117 | 144 |
51 | Cape Coral, FL | 58.54 | 70 | 101 | 11 |
52 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 58.51 | 59 | 74 | 68 |
53 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | 58.47 | 67 | 67 | 35 |
54 | Burlington, VT | 58.35 | 54 | 4 | 165 |
55 | Jersey City, NJ | 58.01 | 33 | 167 | 64 |
56 | Charlotte, NC | 57.90 | 30 | 134 | 102 |
57 | Durham, NC | 57.88 | 41 | 69 | 109 |
58 | Boston, MA | 57.71 | 39 | 7 | 161 |
59 | Nampa, ID | 57.62 | 72 | 16 | 86 |
60 | Aurora, CO | 57.60 | 38 | 150 | 78 |
61 | Long Beach, CA | 57.59 | 51 | 109 | 92 |
62 | Tampa, FL | 57.49 | 69 | 46 | 63 |
63 | Sacramento, CA | 57.47 | 55 | 21 | 138 |
64 | Los Angeles, CA | 57.33 | 49 | 86 | 116 |
65 | Nashua, NH | 57.26 | 75 | 68 | 38 |
66 | Austin, TX | 57.06 | 47 | 88 | 126 |
67 | Portland, OR | 56.74 | 57 | 63 | 125 |
68 | Riverside, CA | 56.69 | 71 | 38 | 84 |
69 | Moreno Valley, CA | 56.65 | 81 | 99 | 23 |
70 | Missoula, MT | 56.44 | 85 | 37 | 46 |
71 | Mesa, AZ | 56.21 | 83 | 83 | 42 |
72 | Des Moines, IA | 56.13 | 66 | 113 | 79 |
73 | Denver, CO | 56.09 | 52 | 121 | 130 |
74 | Orlando, FL | 55.99 | 68 | 39 | 117 |
75 | Colorado Springs, CO | 55.75 | 91 | 45 | 40 |
76 | Port St. Lucie, FL | 55.50 | 97 | 71 | 20 |
77 | Salt Lake City, UT | 55.45 | 77 | 31 | 123 |
78 | Fontana, CA | 55.45 | 95 | 73 | 21 |
79 | Pittsburgh, PA | 55.36 | 88 | 10 | 91 |
80 | St. Petersburg, FL | 55.34 | 78 | 53 | 90 |
81 | Ontario, CA | 55.24 | 96 | 62 | 31 |
82 | Billings, MT | 55.09 | 105 | 35 | 25 |
83 | Chicago, IL | 54.80 | 56 | 179 | 83 |
84 | Miami, FL | 54.77 | 73 | 23 | 151 |
85 | Grand Rapids, MI | 54.63 | 100 | 42 | 52 |
86 | New York, NY | 54.49 | 63 | 174 | 73 |
87 | Phoenix, AZ | 54.14 | 86 | 115 | 69 |
88 | Manchester, NH | 53.99 | 99 | 50 | 75 |
89 | Tacoma, WA | 53.96 | 80 | 123 | 103 |
90 | Wilmington, DE | 53.71 | 126 | 124 | 5 |
91 | Modesto, CA | 53.60 | 103 | 66 | 65 |
92 | West Valley City, UT | 53.25 | 107 | 51 | 74 |
93 | Atlanta, GA | 53.23 | 76 | 90 | 143 |
94 | Hialeah, FL | 52.91 | 79 | 132 | 119 |
95 | Columbia, SC | 52.89 | 122 | 28 | 48 |
96 | Cheyenne, WY | 52.63 | 87 | 24 | 164 |
97 | Worcester, MA | 52.58 | 92 | 41 | 150 |
98 | Tallahassee, FL | 52.54 | 109 | 48 | 98 |
99 | Glendale, AZ | 52.44 | 93 | 133 | 81 |
100 | Vancouver, WA | 52.34 | 74 | 97 | 174 |
101 | Reno, NV | 52.16 | 106 | 29 | 122 |
102 | Providence, RI | 52.11 | 118 | 2 | 170 |
103 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | 52.01 | 110 | 120 | 70 |
104 | Irving, TX | 51.93 | 98 | 111 | 108 |
105 | Bridgeport, CT | 51.84 | 82 | 180 | 72 |
106 | Jacksonville, FL | 51.76 | 115 | 135 | 51 |
107 | Nashville, TN | 51.72 | 119 | 118 | 58 |
108 | Milwaukee, WI | 51.55 | 89 | 157 | 101 |
109 | Grand Prairie, TX | 51.25 | 112 | 154 | 55 |
110 | Garland, TX | 50.87 | 113 | 139 | 82 |
111 | Stockton, CA | 50.85 | 90 | 112 | 142 |
112 | Fresno, CA | 50.75 | 115 | 80 | 118 |
113 | Newport News, VA | 50.50 | 102 | 153 | 114 |
114 | New Haven, CT | 50.47 | 128 | 49 | 110 |
115 | Henderson, NV | 50.43 | 108 | 158 | 85 |
116 | Las Cruces, NM | 50.19 | 121 | 75 | 133 |
117 | Fort Worth, TX | 49.90 | 117 | 144 | 105 |
118 | Wichita, KS | 49.86 | 124 | 108 | 94 |
119 | Warwick, RI | 49.79 | 84 | 107 | 181 |
120 | Greensboro, NC | 49.25 | 101 | 96 | 162 |
121 | Arlington, TX | 49.23 | 111 | 143 | 135 |
122 | Fort Wayne, IN | 49.12 | 127 | 137 | 93 |
123 | Bakersfield, CA | 48.92 | 131 | 129 | 96 |
124 | Spokane, WA | 48.88 | 134 | 8 | 145 |
125 | Winston-Salem, NC | 48.84 | 123 | 98 | 132 |
126 | Newark, NJ | 48.82 | 104 | 175 | 120 |
127 | San Bernardino, CA | 48.43 | 138 | 79 | 97 |
128 | Kansas City, MO | 48.39 | 125 | 131 | 129 |
129 | Albuquerque, NM | 48.32 | 132 | 69 | 141 |
130 | Dover, DE | 48.30 | 157 | 127 | 10 |
131 | Norfolk, VA | 48.25 | 129 | 125 | 127 |
132 | Dallas, TX | 48.07 | 114 | 138 | 158 |
133 | Lewiston, ME | 47.72 | 176 | 1 | 29 |
134 | Houston, TX | 47.40 | 94 | 168 | 172 |
135 | Columbus, OH | 47.40 | 130 | 140 | 136 |
136 | Huntsville, AL | 47.39 | 159 | 61 | 62 |
137 | Richmond, VA | 47.27 | 120 | 159 | 157 |
138 | Chattanooga, TN | 47.14 | 150 | 116 | 45 |
139 | Tucson, AZ | 46.70 | 147 | 89 | 115 |
140 | Louisville, KY | 46.61 | 143 | 163 | 71 |
141 | Oklahoma City, OK | 46.56 | 148 | 155 | 61 |
142 | El Paso, TX | 46.43 | 133 | 141 | 131 |
143 | Little Rock, AR | 46.40 | 142 | 152 | 100 |
144 | Indianapolis, IN | 46.39 | 136 | 169 | 88 |
145 | Brownsville, TX | 46.38 | 154 | 59 | 113 |
146 | Cincinnati, OH | 45.95 | 145 | 119 | 124 |
147 | Amarillo, TX | 45.86 | 153 | 91 | 111 |
148 | Rochester, NY | 45.75 | 141 | 76 | 173 |
149 | Knoxville, TN | 45.71 | 169 | 25 | 56 |
150 | Laredo, TX | 45.52 | 160 | 6 | 153 |
151 | Buffalo, NY | 45.47 | 140 | 105 | 160 |
152 | Las Vegas, NV | 45.38 | 135 | 171 | 121 |
153 | Casper, WY | 45.21 | 144 | 100 | 168 |
154 | Springfield, MO | 45.16 | 165 | 65 | 80 |
155 | North Las Vegas, NV | 44.95 | 146 | 176 | 95 |
156 | New Orleans, LA | 44.87 | 152 | 58 | 154 |
157 | Tulsa, OK | 44.86 | 162 | 95 | 104 |
158 | Corpus Christi, TX | 44.55 | 151 | 64 | 156 |
159 | Salem, OR | 44.10 | 137 | 54 | 179 |
160 | Baltimore, MD | 43.78 | 139 | 165 | 163 |
161 | Philadelphia, PA | 43.57 | 156 | 136 | 137 |
162 | Charleston, WV | 43.26 | 178 | 12 | 67 |
163 | Lubbock, TX | 43.17 | 164 | 47 | 155 |
164 | St. Louis, MO | 42.99 | 149 | 166 | 147 |
165 | San Antonio, TX | 42.31 | 155 | 130 | 169 |
166 | Columbus, GA | 40.91 | 168 | 142 | 148 |
167 | Fayetteville, NC | 40.56 | 170 | 146 | 152 |
168 | Fort Smith, AR | 40.10 | 181 | 9 | 106 |
169 | Baton Rouge, LA | 40.10 | 167 | 114 | 171 |
170 | Memphis, TN | 39.85 | 158 | 181 | 159 |
171 | Augusta, GA | 39.44 | 163 | 156 | 178 |
172 | Gulfport, MS | 39.25 | 173 | 162 | 146 |
173 | Akron, OH | 39.15 | 166 | 145 | 175 |
174 | Mobile, AL | 38.97 | 175 | 172 | 107 |
175 | Jackson, MS | 38.79 | 161 | 178 | 177 |
176 | Toledo, OH | 37.51 | 174 | 164 | 166 |
177 | Huntington, WV | 37.31 | 182 | 18 | 22 |
178 | Shreveport, LA | 36.54 | 179 | 173 | 140 |
179 | Birmingham, AL | 36.22 | 171 | 148 | 180 |
180 | Montgomery, AL | 35.70 | 177 | 177 | 167 |
181 | Cleveland, OH | 34.83 | 172 | 161 | 182 |
182 | Detroit, MI | 31.43 | 180 | 182 | 176 |
Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.
- Lowest
- 1. Pearl City, HI
- 2. Honolulu, HI
- 3. Fremont, CA
- 4. San Jose, CA
- 5. Irvine, CA
- Highest
- 178. Knoxville, TN
- 179. Burlington, VT
- 180. Spokane, WA
- 181. Huntington, WV
- 182. Lewiston, ME
- Highest
- 1. South Burlington, VT
- 2. Madison, WI
- 3. Portland, OR
- 4. Burlington, VT
- 5. Seattle, WA
- Lowest
- T-178. Birmingham, AL
- T-178. Augusta, GA
- 180. Montgomery, AL
- 181. Cleveland, OH
- 182. Detroit, MI
- Highest
- 1. South Burlington, VT
- 2. Irvine, CA
- 3. Seattle, WA
- 4. Huntington Beach, CA
- 5. Scottsdale, AZ
- Lowest
- 178. Newark, NJ
- T-179. Detroit, MI
- T-179. Brownsville, TX
- 181. Laredo, TX
- 182. Hialeah, FL
- Lowest
- 1. Newark, NJ
- 2. Jersey City, NJ
- 3. New York, NY
- 4. Columbia, MD
- 5. Yonkers, NY
- Highest
- T-177. Colorado Springs, CO
- T-177. Billings, MT
- T-177. Juneau, AK
- T-177. Rapid City, SD
- T-177. Casper, WY
- Fewest
- 1. Burlington, VT
- 2. Huntington, WV
- 3. Tallahassee, FL
- 4. New Haven, CT
- 5. Bridgeport, CT
- Most
- T-177. Fayetteville, NC
- T-177. Cheyenne, WY
- T-180. Dallas, TX
- T-180. Casper, WY
- 182. Scottsdale, AZ
- Highest
- 1. Miami, FL
- 2. Hialeah, FL
- 3. Providence, RI
- 4. Nampa, ID
- 5. Oakland, CA
- Lowest
- 178. Anchorage, AK
- 179. Gulfport, MS
- 180. Dover, DE
- 181. Casper, WY
- 182. Juneau, AK
- Lowest
- 1. Fremont, CA
- 2. Pearl City, HI
- 3. Irvine, CA
- 4. San Jose, CA
- 5. Gilbert, AZ
- Highest
- 178. Wilmington, DE
- 179. Rochester, NY
- 180. Birmingham, AL
- 181. Cleveland, OH
- 182. Detroit, MI
In-Depth Look at the Happiest Cities
Fremont, CA
Fremont, CA is the happiest city in America, and one contributing factor is that the city has the highest share of households with an income above $75,000, at nearly 80%. Studies have shown that increasing your income also increases your happiness up to $75,000 but not beyond. Therefore, cities where a lot of people make at least $75,000 per year are more likely to have maximized their happiness. People in Fremont also have a high rate of life satisfaction, a low depression rate, and a long lifespan on average.
Another contributing factor to Fremont’s happiness is the fact that it has the lowest separation and divorce rate in the country, at only 8.9%. It also has the lowest share of adults who report having 14 or more mentally unhealthy days in the past month, so people in the city seem to be taking care of themselves psychologically.
Overland Park, KS
Overland Park, KS is the second-happiest city, in part because it has the lowest poverty rate in the country, at just 4.2%. It also has one of the lowest unemployment rates, at 3%, and one of the lowest food insecurity rates. When people are able to provide what they need for their families, their happiness naturally increases.
Having work is important for happiness, but so is free time, and Overland Park residents have a lot of leisure time each week compared to people in most other cities. During their free time, many residents turn to sports, as the city has one of the highest sports-participation rates in the country. Playing sports has been shown to be very beneficial for one’s emotional and physical wellbeing. Getting enough sleep is also essential, too, and Overland Park residents get more sleep than people in most other cities.
San Jose, CA
The third-happiest city is San Jose, CA, and it has the longest average life expectancy in the country, allowing people to enjoy their lives into old age. It also has one of the lowest separation and divorce rates, so happy couples can spend their lives together into their golden years, and their kids don’t have to deal with the upheaval.
San Jose is the city that scores the best on the health and wellness company Sharecare’s Community Well-Being Index, which measures how much residents like where they live, feel safe and have pride in their community. It also scores extremely well on Sharecare’s Life-Satisfaction Index, which measures people’s health risks based on various physical, financial and social factors.
San Jose residents’ happiness is demonstrated by the city’s low rates of depression and suicide.
Ask the Experts
Many factors can affect a person’s happiness. For additional insight, we asked a panel of experts for their thoughts on the following key questions:
- What tips do you have for someone who is unhappy with their career?
- Does an individual’s happiness increase or decrease with age?
- How much and how does where you live influence your happiness?
- Can money buy happiness?
- Does the overall economic climate of a city affect individual happiness?
Ask the Experts
Methodology
In order to determine the happiest cities in America, WalletHub compared 182 of the largest cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across three key dimensions: 1) Emotional & Physical Well-Being, 2) Income & Employment and 3) Community & Environment.
We evaluated these categories using 29 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing maximum happiness. Data for metrics marked with an asterisk (*) were available only at the state level.
We then determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.
Our analysis draws upon the findings of the following research, each of which has indicated a correlation between our data and happiness:
- Happy People Live Longer: Subjective Well-Being Contributes to Health and Longevity (Chan and Diener, 2010)
- Happiness from Ordinary and Extraordinary Experiences (Bhattacharjee and Mogilner, 2014)
- Sports Participation and Happiness: Evidence from U.S. Micro Data (Huang and Humphreys, 2010)
- Unhappy Cities (Glaeser, et al., 2014)
Emotional & Physical Well-Being - Total Points: 50
- Life-Satisfaction Index: Full Weight (~3.17 Points)
- Depression Rate: Double Weight (~6.35 Points)
- Suicide Rate: Full Weight (~3.17 Points)
- Adequate-Sleep Rate: Double Weight (~6.35 Points)
- Physical-Health Index: Double Weight (~6.35 Points)
Note: This metric measures the percentage of adults reporting good or better health. - Sports-Participation Rate: Double Weight (~6.35 Points)
- Share of People Aged 12 or Older Who Used Marijuana in the Past Month: Half Weight (~1.59 Points)
- Retail Opioid Prescriptions Dispensed per 100 Persons: Quarter Weight (~0.79 Points)
- Share of Adults with Mental Health Not Good: Double Weight (~6.35 Points)
Note: This metric measures the percentage of adults with 14 or more mentally unhealthy days reported in the past month. - Life Expectancy: Full Weight (~3.17 Points)
- Food-Insecurity Rate: Double Weight (~6.35 Points)
Income & Employment - Total Points: 25
- Income-Growth Rate: Double Weight (~3.13 Points)
- Share of Households Earning Annual Incomes Above $75,000: Full Weight (~1.56 Points)
- Poverty Rate: Full Weight (~1.56 Points)
- Job Satisfaction: Full Weight (~1.56 Points)
- 4+ Star Job Opportunities per Total People in the Labor Force: Full Weight (~1.56 Points)
Note: This metric measures the number of job opportunities at 4+ star rated companies on Glasssdoor.com per the total people in the labor force. - Job Security: Full Weight (~1.56 Points)
Note: This metric measures the probability of unemployment. - Unemployment Rate: Double Weight (~3.13 Points)
- Underemployment Rate: Double Weight (~3.13 Points)
- Bankruptcy Rate: Double Weight (~3.13 Points)
- Weekly Work Hours: Double Weight (~3.13 Points)
- Commute Time: Full Weight (~1.56 Points)
Community & Environment - Total Points: 25
- WalletHub’s "Most Caring Cities" Ranking: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
- Separation & Divorce Rate: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
- Hate-Crime Incidents per Capita: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
- Ideal Weather: Half Weight (~1.79 Points)
Note: This metric uses data from WalletHub’s "Cities with the Best & Worst Weather" ranking. - Acres of Parkland per 1,000 Residents: Half Weight (~1.79 Points)
- Average Leisure Time Spent per Day*: Double Weight (~7.14 Points)
- Well-Being “Community” Index Score: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
Note: This metric refers to the “Community” section of the Sharecare Well-Being Index, which refers to “liking where you live, feeling safe and having pride in your community.”
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected as of February 5, 2024 from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Sharecare Community Well-Being Index, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Feeding America, Chmura Economics & Analytics, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Minnesota Population Center, University of Minnesota, The Trust for Public Land, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Glassdoor.com, Indeed and WalletHub research.
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