Happiest Cities in America in 2024 (2024)

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.

“Money can buy happiness to a certain degree because a stable income is essential for a person’s physical and mental wellbeing. However, plenty of other factors affect happiness as well, and the happiest cities combine economic security with kind communities and conditions that are conducive to low depression rates and high life satisfaction.”

Cassandra Happe, WalletHub Analyst

Table of Contents

Main FindingsIn-Depth Look at the Happiest CitiesAsk the ExpertsMethodology

Main Findings

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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.

Depression Rate

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

Best City vs. Worst City: 3x Difference

Pearl City, HI vs. Lewiston, ME

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

Lily Corley
Assistant Director of Career Development at Lipscomb University
Read More

Dr. Tammy Manko
Director, Career and Professional Development Center, Academic Affairs – Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Read More

Dr. Matthew Joseph
Associate Professor and Counseling Program Director, School of Education – Duquesne University
Read More

Dr. Kurt Kraiger
Chair and Professor, Department of Management – University of Memphis
Read More

Lisa Jane Laird
Director, Career Center – Snow College
Read More

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 "" 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.

Supporting Video Files:

Important Disclosures

FAQs

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