The U.S. Declaration of Independence speaks about the “pursuit of happiness” as a universal right. However, everyone gets joy from different things, whether it’s family, friends, activities, entertainment or work. What people might not realize is that where you live may also determine how happy you are.
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.
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 31 key indicators of happiness, ranging from depression rate to income-growth rate to average leisure time spent per day. Read on for our findings, methodology and expert commentary from a panel of researchers.
Source: WalletHub
Happiest Cities in the U.S.
Overall Rank (1=Best) | City | Total Score | ‘Emotional & Physical Well-Being’ Rank | ‘Income & Employment’ Rank | ‘Community & Environment’ Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plano, TX | 72.30 | 7 | 6 | 8 |
| 2 | Irvine, CA | 71.86 | 14 | 11 | 5 |
| 3 | Madison, WI | 71.81 | 3 | 14 | 7 |
| 4 | Fremont, CA | 71.17 | 10 | 37 | 1 |
| 5 | Huntington Beach, CA | 69.74 | 6 | 46 | 28 |
| 6 | Fargo, ND | 69.57 | 17 | 20 | 24 |
| 7 | Grand Prairie, TX | 69.30 | 20 | 35 | 6 |
| 8 | San Jose, CA | 68.90 | 1 | 18 | 44 |
| 9 | Scottsdale, AZ | 68.24 | 46 | 13 | 2 |
| 10 | San Francisco, CA | 67.53 | 4 | 2 | 125 |
| 11 | Bismarck, ND | 67.38 | 25 | 4 | 45 |
| 12 | Overland Park, KS | 67.37 | 22 | 56 | 26 |
| 13 | Santa Rosa, CA | 67.18 | 23 | 53 | 9 |
| 14 | Austin, TX | 67.16 | 15 | 8 | 80 |
| 15 | Sioux Falls, SD | 66.97 | 11 | 67 | 95 |
| 16 | Pearl City, HI | 66.77 | 2 | 147 | 15 |
| 17 | Glendale, CA | 66.25 | 27 | 102 | 12 |
| 18 | San Diego, CA | 66.01 | 8 | 36 | 46 |
| 19 | St. Paul, MN | 65.79 | 18 | 70 | 66 |
| 20 | Charleston, SC | 65.48 | 74 | 5 | 4 |
| 21 | Gilbert, AZ | 65.07 | 54 | 48 | 10 |
| 22 | Anaheim, CA | 65.02 | 29 | 79 | 34 |
| 23 | Raleigh, NC | 64.99 | 13 | 41 | 87 |
| 24 | Cape Coral, FL | 64.96 | 51 | 87 | 3 |
| 25 | Cedar Rapids, IA | 64.90 | 41 | 58 | 20 |
| 26 | Minneapolis, MN | 64.82 | 5 | 26 | 137 |
| 27 | Chula Vista, CA | 64.54 | 19 | 117 | 25 |
| 28 | Pembroke Pines, FL | 64.51 | 47 | 89 | 14 |
| 29 | Honolulu, HI | 64.21 | 55 | 34 | 17 |
| 30 | Des Moines, IA | 64.17 | 39 | 85 | 37 |
| 31 | Irving, TX | 64.07 | 28 | 17 | 119 |
| 32 | Santa Clarita, CA | 64.00 | 24 | 112 | 77 |
| 33 | Chandler, AZ | 63.83 | 62 | 55 | 16 |
| 34 | Oceanside, CA | 63.82 | 16 | 156 | 29 |
| 35 | Omaha, NE | 63.50 | 56 | 80 | 19 |
| 36 | Lincoln, NE | 63.43 | 32 | 86 | 62 |
| 37 | Oakland, CA | 63.16 | 12 | 75 | 131 |
| 38 | Billings, MT | 62.82 | 61 | 33 | 51 |
| 39 | Tempe, AZ | 62.80 | 66 | 54 | 21 |
| 40 | Garden Grove, CA | 62.70 | 37 | 107 | 67 |
| 41 | Denver, CO | 62.41 | 21 | 64 | 116 |
| 42 | Fort Worth, TX | 62.35 | 44 | 90 | 54 |
| 43 | Burlington, VT | 62.31 | 53 | 10 | 120 |
| 44 | Peoria, AZ | 62.30 | 65 | 77 | 23 |
| 45 | Port St. Lucie, FL | 61.96 | 76 | 73 | 13 |
| 46 | Boise, ID | 61.94 | 68 | 19 | 48 |
| 47 | Garland, TX | 61.86 | 31 | 120 | 103 |
| 48 | Aurora, CO | 61.83 | 26 | 121 | 104 |
| 49 | El Paso, TX | 61.73 | 58 | 98 | 39 |
| 49 | Arlington, TX | 61.73 | 40 | 128 | 59 |
| 51 | Washington, DC | 61.68 | 9 | 40 | 167 |
| 52 | Charlotte, NC | 61.22 | 52 | 92 | 57 |
| 53 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 61.16 | 59 | 60 | 92 |
| 54 | Seattle, WA | 61.11 | 36 | 1 | 171 |
| 55 | Aurora, IL | 61.05 | 38 | 164 | 56 |
| 56 | Missoula, MT | 60.99 | 57 | 52 | 91 |
| 57 | Santa Ana, CA | 60.96 | 50 | 103 | 73 |
| 58 | Boston, MA | 60.96 | 34 | 12 | 152 |
| 59 | Colorado Springs, CO | 60.96 | 72 | 69 | 36 |
| 60 | Durham, NC | 60.90 | 30 | 28 | 113 |
| 61 | Portland, ME | 60.83 | 48 | 49 | 149 |
| 62 | Grand Rapids, MI | 60.33 | 83 | 31 | 49 |
| 63 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | 60.14 | 79 | 32 | 68 |
| 64 | Salt Lake City, UT | 60.11 | 80 | 9 | 82 |
| 65 | Yonkers, NY | 60.10 | 45 | 157 | 79 |
| 66 | Las Cruces, NM | 60.08 | 33 | 123 | 69 |
| 67 | Rapid City, SD | 60.07 | 86 | 30 | 64 |
| 68 | Dallas, TX | 59.82 | 35 | 109 | 123 |
| 69 | South Burlington, VT | 59.81 | 90 | 63 | 31 |
| 70 | Virginia Beach, VA | 59.71 | 73 | 105 | 43 |
| 71 | Long Beach, CA | 59.58 | 42 | 138 | 108 |
| 72 | Anchorage, AK | 59.53 | 84 | 82 | 41 |
| 73 | Cheyenne, WY | 59.51 | 78 | 23 | 127 |
| 74 | Columbia, MD | 59.47 | 49 | 101 | 138 |
| 75 | Mesa, AZ | 59.25 | 77 | 116 | 47 |
| 76 | Chesapeake, VA | 58.63 | 94 | 122 | 27 |
| 77 | Reno, NV | 58.58 | 98 | 50 | 52 |
| 78 | Tallahassee, FL | 58.54 | 91 | 42 | 85 |
| 79 | Atlanta, GA | 58.46 | 64 | 88 | 100 |
| 80 | Oxnard, CA | 58.36 | 71 | 151 | 30 |
| 81 | Nampa, ID | 58.20 | 102 | 137 | 11 |
| 82 | Los Angeles, CA | 58.12 | 43 | 104 | 146 |
| 83 | Orlando, FL | 58.04 | 85 | 24 | 107 |
| 84 | Portland, OR | 57.72 | 92 | 27 | 102 |
| 85 | Salem, OR | 57.71 | 101 | 29 | 90 |
| 86 | Brownsville, TX | 57.55 | 95 | 68 | 88 |
| 87 | Pittsburgh, PA | 57.45 | 112 | 21 | 60 |
| 88 | Riverside, CA | 57.25 | 100 | 22 | 105 |
| 89 | Fontana, CA | 57.23 | 106 | 72 | 50 |
| 90 | New York, NY | 57.10 | 70 | 152 | 74 |
| 91 | Nashua, NH | 57.09 | 82 | 100 | 96 |
| 92 | Huntsville, AL | 57.00 | 130 | 47 | 22 |
| 93 | Jersey City, NJ | 56.85 | 93 | 168 | 33 |
| 94 | West Valley City, UT | 56.83 | 103 | 78 | 81 |
| 95 | Manchester, NH | 56.49 | 96 | 113 | 63 |
| 96 | Ontario, CA | 56.35 | 107 | 84 | 70 |
| 97 | San Antonio, TX | 56.34 | 115 | 57 | 55 |
| 98 | Amarillo, TX | 56.21 | 119 | 45 | 78 |
| 99 | Vancouver, WA | 56.17 | 108 | 97 | 61 |
| 100 | Tampa, FL | 56.02 | 121 | 38 | 58 |
| 101 | Miami, FL | 55.97 | 63 | 39 | 179 |
| 102 | Dover, DE | 55.94 | 81 | 61 | 145 |
| 103 | Moreno Valley, CA | 55.61 | 111 | 108 | 65 |
| 104 | Glendale, AZ | 55.36 | 89 | 159 | 86 |
| 105 | Nashville, TN | 55.34 | 126 | 96 | 35 |
| 106 | Houston, TX | 55.33 | 69 | 132 | 139 |
| 107 | Chicago, IL | 55.20 | 60 | 175 | 114 |
| 108 | Columbia, SC | 54.93 | 137 | 7 | 83 |
| 109 | Greensboro, NC | 54.90 | 97 | 94 | 98 |
| 110 | Lewiston, ME | 54.55 | 151 | 43 | 84 |
| 111 | Laredo, TX | 54.40 | 75 | 66 | 173 |
| 112 | Hialeah, FL | 54.33 | 67 | 160 | 169 |
| 113 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | 54.13 | 113 | 76 | 112 |
| 113 | Henderson, NV | 54.13 | 120 | 125 | 53 |
| 115 | Sacramento, CA | 53.96 | 114 | 59 | 118 |
| 116 | Modesto, CA | 53.50 | 117 | 81 | 121 |
| 117 | Newport News, VA | 53.29 | 105 | 155 | 128 |
| 118 | Tucson, AZ | 53.19 | 99 | 114 | 134 |
| 119 | Springfield, MO | 53.03 | 132 | 106 | 71 |
| 120 | St. Petersburg, FL | 52.76 | 135 | 25 | 133 |
| 121 | Richmond, VA | 52.66 | 104 | 139 | 157 |
| 122 | Tacoma, WA | 52.59 | 109 | 140 | 153 |
| 123 | Warwick, RI | 52.41 | 136 | 44 | 151 |
| 124 | Lubbock, TX | 52.29 | 133 | 16 | 142 |
| 125 | Casper, WY | 51.99 | 161 | 71 | 97 |
| 126 | Kansas City, MO | 51.96 | 110 | 148 | 129 |
| 127 | Phoenix, AZ | 51.94 | 87 | 136 | 172 |
| 128 | Oklahoma City, OK | 51.59 | 155 | 110 | 38 |
| 129 | Corpus Christi, TX | 51.50 | 145 | 15 | 124 |
| 130 | Winston-Salem, NC | 51.44 | 116 | 118 | 141 |
| 131 | Juneau, AK | 51.21 | 160 | 3 | 175 |
| 132 | Albuquerque, NM | 51.15 | 123 | 111 | 150 |
| 133 | Columbus, OH | 51.14 | 128 | 133 | 111 |
| 134 | Bakersfield, CA | 50.98 | 139 | 74 | 126 |
| 135 | Bridgeport, CT | 50.92 | 88 | 169 | 161 |
| 136 | Jacksonville, FL | 50.55 | 153 | 95 | 72 |
| 137 | Knoxville, TN | 50.43 | 166 | 62 | 32 |
| 138 | Louisville, KY | 50.31 | 158 | 124 | 42 |
| 139 | Norfolk, VA | 49.97 | 129 | 129 | 143 |
| 140 | Chattanooga, TN | 49.94 | 167 | 99 | 40 |
| 141 | Wichita, KS | 49.79 | 138 | 131 | 130 |
| 142 | Worcester, MA | 49.77 | 125 | 149 | 159 |
| 143 | Rochester, NY | 49.76 | 134 | 142 | 140 |
| 144 | San Bernardino, CA | 49.56 | 124 | 134 | 166 |
| 145 | Buffalo, NY | 49.22 | 144 | 126 | 117 |
| 146 | Fresno, CA | 48.86 | 127 | 119 | 158 |
| 147 | Milwaukee, WI | 48.75 | 122 | 172 | 147 |
| 148 | Baton Rouge, LA | 48.56 | 140 | 93 | 168 |
| 149 | Stockton, CA | 48.35 | 118 | 150 | 165 |
| 150 | Spokane, WA | 48.08 | 142 | 91 | 176 |
| 151 | Indianapolis, IN | 47.83 | 147 | 177 | 89 |
| 152 | Fort Wayne, IN | 47.63 | 152 | 143 | 132 |
| 153 | New Orleans, LA | 47.57 | 164 | 127 | 76 |
| 154 | North Las Vegas, NV | 47.19 | 157 | 158 | 99 |
| 155 | Las Vegas, NV | 47.02 | 149 | 146 | 144 |
| 156 | Tulsa, OK | 46.50 | 170 | 83 | 110 |
| 157 | Wilmington, DE | 46.32 | 156 | 144 | 154 |
| 158 | Providence, RI | 45.81 | 169 | 115 | 122 |
| 159 | New Haven, CT | 45.56 | 131 | 141 | 182 |
| 160 | Montgomery, AL | 45.48 | 143 | 176 | 155 |
| 161 | Baltimore, MD | 44.75 | 148 | 161 | 177 |
| 162 | Jackson, MS | 44.70 | 150 | 178 | 178 |
| 163 | Shreveport, LA | 44.59 | 171 | 173 | 75 |
| 164 | Memphis, TN | 44.45 | 146 | 179 | 156 |
| 165 | Philadelphia, PA | 44.27 | 168 | 165 | 115 |
| 166 | Columbus, GA | 44.27 | 174 | 154 | 109 |
| 167 | Fayetteville, NC | 44.17 | 159 | 153 | 170 |
| 168 | Akron, OH | 44.05 | 154 | 166 | 174 |
| 169 | Cincinnati, OH | 43.50 | 165 | 145 | 162 |
| 170 | Fort Smith, AR | 43.33 | 176 | 135 | 136 |
| 171 | St. Louis, MO | 42.85 | 162 | 170 | 160 |
| 172 | Augusta, GA | 42.38 | 175 | 163 | 106 |
| 173 | Mobile, AL | 42.22 | 172 | 174 | 135 |
| 174 | Newark, NJ | 41.86 | 141 | 182 | 180 |
| 175 | Huntington, WV | 41.58 | 182 | 51 | 18 |
| 176 | Little Rock, AR | 41.40 | 178 | 130 | 101 |
| 177 | Gulfport, MS | 41.06 | 179 | 162 | 94 |
| 178 | Cleveland, OH | 40.81 | 163 | 180 | 164 |
| 179 | Birmingham, AL | 40.78 | 173 | 167 | 163 |
| 180 | Charleston, WV | 39.68 | 180 | 65 | 93 |
| 181 | Toledo, OH | 39.48 | 177 | 171 | 148 |
| 182 | Detroit, MI | 29.19 | 181 | 181 | 181 |






