October 23, 2024 | Peter Kinney

The Happiest Cities In America


Put On A Happy Place

Inspired by positive psychology, WalletHub looked at 29 factors such as the rate of depression and the percentage of people getting a good night’s sleep. And earning more money does mean more happiness—but not beyond $75,000 a year, say researchers. So let’s see what cities wear the broadest smiles!

1. Fremont, California

Topping the list with a 74% score, Fremont has the highest percentage of households earning $75,000 or more per year, nearly 80%, so Fremont pretty much maximizes the income factor.

street in Fremont, North CarolinaIndy beetle, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

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2. Overland Park, Kansas

And dropping to the upper 60s, the second-happiest city has our lowest poverty rate and great sports participation. There’s also lots of sleep after, so it checks off some great positive-psychology boxes!

Photo of Overland ParkChris Murphy, Flickr

3. San Jose, California

Also in California is San Jose, taking the spot for third place. It tops life expectancy for city dwellers as well as low rates of divorce, separation, and depression, so a whole lot less stress all around.

Downtown San Jose , CAmplstodd, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

4. Madison, Wisconsin

Coming in at #4 is Madison, Wisconsin, runner-up for the percentage of residents getting enough shut-eye—but that’s not to say it’s a sleepy town. Remember, well-rested means perky in the morning!

Aerial View of Campus, with Helen C. White Hall in foregroundcollege.library, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

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5. Irvine, California

So all that California sun probably helps keep our fifth-happiest city’s rate of depression pretty low, plus ranking #2 in sports participation and #3 for lowest divorce and separation rates.

Street view in IrvineChris Hunkeler, Flickr

6. Honolulu, Hawaii

Speaking of sunny places, our sixth-happiest city leads on community and environment, likely helped by the fact that the island of Oahu is actually free of active volcanoes!

Aerial view of Honolulu Ron Cogswell, Flickr

7. San Francisco, California

San Francisco ranks #3 for emotional and physical well-being. And despite being #81 out of 182 for income and employment, it ends up with the title of seventh-happiest city in the United States.

San Francisco SunsetSF Brit, Flickr

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8. Pearl City, Hawaii

The least depressed city in America, this eighth-happiest city also has the second-lowest rate of separation and divorce, and ranks #2 on the survey’s look at community and environment.

Honolulu Rail Oahu HawaiiAnthony Quintano CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

9. Columbia, Maryland

This Maryland city ranks #9 on the happiness list, despite coming in at #170 for income and employment, so its #5 ranking for physical and emotional well-being clearly helped in the end.

Aerial View of Columbia, MDPowerhawk5k, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

10. Scottsdale, Arizona

Despite the longest work hours on the list, this desert city has been deemed the tenth-happiest place in America. And even with all that time on the job, the city ranks #5 for sports participation.

View From the Bridge in downtown Scottsdale, Arizonagem66, Flickr

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11. Sioux Falls, South Dakota

At the 65% mark in our happiness index, Sioux Falls scores #10 for physical and emotional well-being, helping it reach #11 overall, despite ranking #57 on income and employment.

Falls of the Big Sioux River, Falls Park, Sioux Falls, SDWarren LeMay, Flickr

12. Huntington Beach, California

Twelfth happiest, this California city scores #4 on the sports-participation list, but #77 for income and employment. Somehow it balances out, ranking 11th for emotional and physical well-being.

Huntington Beach Ca UsaToksave, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

13. Minneapolis, Minnesota

Thirteenth happiest with respectable rankings for emotional and physical well-being (#17), and for income and employment (#22), this snowy city slips on community and environment (#57).

Photo of Minneapolis, MNEnrico Fuente, Flickr

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14. Garden Grove, California

Scoring #15 on community and the environment, the 14th-happiest city in America ranks #24 for emotional and physical well-being, but ends up down the employment and income list at #52.

Photo of Garden Grove, CAJustin.skoda, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

15. San Diego, California

Here’s another California city whose overall happiness ranking (#15) scores far higher than its income and employment ranking (#43). The tourists love it, so no surprise the locals do too!

San Diego skylineChris Parker, Flickr

16. Fargo, North Dakota

Very snowy Fargo ranks #134 out of 182 for community and environment, but ends up as the 16th-happiest city in America, scoring an impressive #11 for physical and emotional well-being.

Fargo city in North DakotaJonathan Geiger, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

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17. Portland, Maine

Portland’s standout ranking is #3 for income and employment, coming in at #17 for happiness overall. And in case you’re wondering, the West Coast’s Portland, in Oregon, comes in at #67.

Aerial view of PortlandOregon Department of Transportation, Flickr

18. Seattle, Washington

Eighteenth-happiest Seattle loves to participate in sports, ranking #3, and reaches #8 for income and employment. However, the tech hub sinks down to #128 for community and environment.

Sunset in Seattle Howard Ignatius, Flickr

19. Lincoln, Nebraska

Coming in at #19, Nebraska’s capital city scores respectably enough on many factors, but its #43 on community and environment falls below the city’s other two main measures.

Nebraska State Capitoljpellgen, Flickr

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20. Bismarck, North Dakota

At #20, state capital Bismark scores #12 on physical and emotional well-being and #11 on income and employment, but gets snowed under at #149 for community and environment.

View of Bismarck, North DakotaDrew Tarvin, Flickr

21. Gilbert, Arizona

This desert city ranks high up at #7 for community and the environment, and has the fifth-lowest divorce and separation rate among the country’s cities, helping to put it at #21 on our list.

Sunset in Gilbert, Arizona,Hung Nguyen, Flickr

22. Charleston, South Carolina

This historical and cultural treasure of the South ranks pretty high up for community and environment (#15), as well as income and employment (#18), helping it reach #22 on our list.

Broad Street, French Quarter, Charleston, SCWarren LeMay, Flickr

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23. South Burlington, Vermont

Next door to Burlington, the 23rd-happiest city in the US scores #1 for sleep time and sports participation, though somehow scores an underwhelming #139 for community and environment.

Burlington, Vermont USADon Shall, Flickr

24. Glendale, California

Here’s another California city where low-ranked employment and income (#92) can’t stop it getting a pretty high happiness score (#24), helped by its community and environment ranking (#13).

Glendale From Forest LawnGedstrom, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

25. Anaheim, California

Land of Disneyland, 25th-ranked Anaheim reaches #26 for emotional and physical well-being, and #36 for community and environment, but hits a lower #55 ranking for income and employment.

Neighborhood Near Downtown Anaheim, CaliforniaKen Lund, Flickr

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26. Oakland, California

It’s not all A’s for Oakland as the 26th-happiest city in America ranks 14th for emotional and physical well-being, but 104th for employment and income—though it still comes in fifth for income growth.

Oakland, Ca, Usa - Skyline And BridgeBasil D Soufi, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

27. Chula Vista, California

Located along the east side of San Diego Bay, Chula Vista is another California city whose overall happiness (#27) outshines its employment and income (#87).

Chula Vista, CA, USARoman Eugeniusz, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

28. Raleigh, North Carolina

growing tech hub on the East Coast, 28th-happiest Raleigh scores #9 on physical and emotional well-being, though #126 on income and employment.

Raleigh Skyline viewAbhiram Juvvadi, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

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29. Santa Rosa, California

Located in California’s wine country, the 29th-happiest city in America comes in at #28 for emotional and physical well-being, and #34 for employment and income.

Ferryboat leaving Santa RosaNoeHill, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

30. Santa Clarita, California

Ranking #122 for employment and income, this city northwest of Los Angeles reaches #30 on the overall happiness list, likely boosted by Magic Mountain’s thrills and plenty of hiking trails.

Canyon Country, Santa Clarita CAJeffrey Beall, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

31. Boise, Idaho

Ranked #31 on the happiness list, Idaho’s capital hits #5 on the income and employment chart, compared to #76 for community and environment. 

City of Boise in winterCharles Knowles, Flickr

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32. Oxnard, California

The 32nd-happiest city in the US reaches #16 for community and environment, while crouched down at #94 on the employment and income index.

Hampton Inn Oxnard Aerial viewVox851, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

33. Chandler, Arizona

Maricopa County’s Chandler hits the #33 spot for overall happiness, and manages to reach #17 on the list for community and environment.

Neighborhoods In The City Of ChandlerChandlernews, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

34. Oceanside, California

As often seems to happen in sunny California, Oceanside’s #34 place overall surpasses its #102 rank for employment and income.

Viev of Oceanside, CaliforniaScotwriter21, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

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35. Plano, Texas

A Dallas–Fort Worth suburb, Plano scores a decent #35 on the happiness list, though only reaches #93 when it comes to income and employment.

View of Plano city, TexasJim Nix, Flickr

36. Rapid City, South Dakota

While #36 on a happiness list of 182 cities sounds pretty good, Rapid City’s #19 ranking for income and employment surpasses some of its other measures.

Rapid City in South DakotaKen Lane, Flickr

37. Aurora, Illinois

At a smidgen above 60%, the 37th-happiest city is our last before we hit percentages in the upper 50s. On employment and income, it ranks 149th out of 182, a drag on the final score.

Aurora, Illinois SkylineSea Cow, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

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38. Anchorage, Alaska

Alaska’s biggest city does well on community and environment, ranking #14, but gets poor scores on physical and mental well-being and on income and employment, leaving it at #38 overall.

Anchorage Downtown, AlaskaLuke Jones, Flickr

39. Yonkers, New York

Next door to New York City, Yonkers ranks 39th on the happiness scale, and outdoes itself on physical and mental well-being, reaching #22 on that scale.

View of Yonkers WaterfrontJune Marie, Flickr

40. Chesapeake, Virginia

Overlapping Virginia’s Great Dismal Swamp, things aren’t totally dismal, as the city squeezes into our top 40 of happy cities, ranking an impressive #12 for community and environment.

Chesapeake Bay Bridge, VirginiaChesapeake Bay Program, Flickr

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California Dreaming

So these are the happiest cities in America—with an awful lot in California, though to be fair it is the largest state with an awful lot of cities. And experts are going to juggle factors in whatever way makes them happy. So enjoy your happy place—and if it’s not, maybe move to one!

The Golden Gate bridgeGeoff Livingston, Flickr


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