2021’s Happiest Cities In America

Adam McCann, Financial Writer

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the average person’s stress level to increase significantly for the first time since 2007. Therefore, it’s vital for people to boost their happiness however they can, whether through family, friends, activities, entertainment or work. What people might not realize is that where they live may also determine how happy they 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. Consider also the fact that while the U.S. is one of the richest countries, it ranks only 18th 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 31 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.

Happiest Cities in the U.S.

Overall Rank	City	Total Score	Emotional & Physical Well-Being	Income & Employment	Community & Environment
1	Fremont, CA	73.66	1	46	5
2	Bismarck, ND	71.59	5	5	23
3	Fargo, ND	70.94	9	3	17
4	Madison, WI	70.14	13	6	14
5	San Jose, CA	69.47	2	21	75
6	South Burlington, VT	68.73	8	11	61
7	Lincoln, NE	68.35	14	10	20
8	Columbia, MD	67.73	4	95	102
9	Cedar Rapids, IA	67.64	11	74	19
10	Santa Rosa, CA	67.59	7	32	33
11	Sioux Falls, SD	67.43	24	23	12
12	Irvine, CA	67.27	15	18	31
13	San Francisco, CA	67.11	3	15	131
14	Pearl City, HI	66.58	16	114	6
15	Burlington, VT	66.19	26	1	111
16	Minneapolis, MN	65.98	6	28	115
17	Plano, TX	65.87	21	44	26
18	Charleston, SC	65.10	43	16	9
19	Rapid City, SD	65.00	51	14	1
20	Seattle, WA	64.74	10	2	161
21	Boise, ID	64.55	33	13	46
22	Honolulu, HI	64.45	19	112	15
23	Portland, ME	64.40	32	17	74
24	St. Paul, MN	64.31	22	56	66
25	Scottsdale, AZ	64.22	53	48	3
26	San Diego, CA	64.17	30	39	25
27	Austin, TX	64.13	20	24	94
28	Overland Park, KS	64.09	41	12	30
29	Missoula, MT	63.76	29	19	83
30	Grand Rapids, MI	63.56	48	20	16
31	Cape Coral, FL	63.23	54	52	4
32	Raleigh, NC	62.97	28	70	67
33	Huntington Beach, CA	62.95	25	64	98
34	Aurora, CO	62.56	17	150	47
35	Omaha, NE	62.53	46	26	36
36	Des Moines, IA	62.33	37	88	29
37	Gilbert, AZ	62.09	62	47	13
38	Oakland, CA	61.38	12	127	147
39	Durham, NC	61.18	34	49	80
40	Garden Grove, CA	60.81	45	96	32
41	Anaheim, CA	60.81	40	87	55
42	Aurora, IL	60.57	31	152	73
43	Portland, OR	60.52	35	41	118
44	Oceanside, CA	60.50	36	101	60
45	Chula Vista, CA	60.24	38	111	54
46	Virginia Beach, VA	60.09	49	80	43
47	Oxnard, CA	60.02	64	109	10
48	Nampa, ID	59.97	70	60	18
49	Chandler, AZ	59.86	67	76	24
50	Nashua, NH	59.84	59	40	56
51	Washington, DC	59.59	23	69	166
52	Peoria, AZ	59.43	77	92	8
53	Port St. Lucie, FL	59.33	86	71	11
54	Santa Clarita, CA	59.26	44	149	39
55	Tempe, AZ	59.17	84	42	22
56	Colorado Springs, CO	59.07	56	66	85
57	Sacramento, CA	59.07	52	53	95
58	Glendale, CA	58.93	55	136	27
59	Salt Lake City, UT	58.51	57	22	145
60	Denver, CO	58.32	27	124	160
61	Boston, MA	58.24	50	37	130
62	Reno, NV	58.16	80	55	51
63	Amarillo, TX	58.08	71	67	41
64	Juneau, AK	57.96	18	8	182
65	Pembroke Pines, FL	57.94	88	134	7
66	Santa Ana, CA	57.85	61	61	101
67	Charlotte, NC	57.79	58	99	90
68	Chesapeake, VA	57.74	94	105	21
69	Manchester, NH	57.66	76	65	49
70	Grand Prairie, TX	57.20	85	90	34
71	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	57.06	93	36	81
72	Anchorage, AK	56.99	39	29	177
73	Billings, MT	56.92	90	25	104
74	Vancouver, WA	56.89	47	102	148
75	Yonkers, NY	56.89	60	146	79
76	Pittsburgh, PA	56.28	100	45	70
77	Garland, TX	56.24	78	108	86
78	Cheyenne, WY	56.08	72	9	176
79	Columbia, SC	56.08	128	4	45
80	Tallahassee, FL	55.99	96	43	93
81	Nashville, TN	55.93	104	77	35
82	Mesa, AZ	55.92	97	118	42
83	Fort Worth, TX	55.76	75	131	87
84	Chicago, IL	55.65	42	174	103
85	Irving, TX	55.31	73	63	144
86	Tampa, FL	55.23	111	58	50
87	West Valley City, UT	55.23	81	62	135
88	Lewiston, ME	55.13	130	7	84
89	Riverside, CA	54.79	83	34	155
90	Atlanta, GA	54.75	79	104	116
91	Huntsville, AL	54.70	155	31	2
92	Tacoma, WA	54.59	66	129	149
93	Moreno Valley, CA	54.48	95	125	78
94	Fort Wayne, IN	54.45	105	117	65
95	Springfield, MO	54.24	136	27	63
96	Casper, WY	54.21	65	93	169
97	Lexington-Fayette, KY	54.20	119	54	76
98	Fort Lauderdale, FL	54.12	99	137	58
99	Los Angeles, CA	53.99	69	132	139
100	Salem, OR	53.95	108	35	123
101	Las Cruces, NM	53.72	113	107	40
102	Arlington, TX	53.58	87	140	113
103	Modesto, CA	53.37	110	57	107
104	Dallas, TX	53.30	74	128	150
105	Ontario, CA	53.27	121	68	88
106	Spokane, WA	53.10	112	50	125
107	Fontana, CA	52.96	120	94	71
108	Jersey City, NJ	52.88	82	177	82
109	St. Petersburg, FL	52.57	124	51	112
110	Columbus, OH	52.48	106	110	117
111	Jacksonville, FL	52.41	137	98	52
112	Long Beach, CA	52.39	68	171	141
113	Bridgeport, CT	52.37	63	176	106
114	Milwaukee, WI	52.28	91	162	114
115	Henderson, NV	52.26	101	170	68
116	Warwick, RI	52.07	133	78	69
117	Lubbock, TX	51.93	116	33	157
118	Kansas City, MO	51.90	102	121	140
119	Glendale, AZ	51.71	107	145	110
120	Albuquerque, NM	51.04	89	72	178
121	Orlando, FL	50.93	129	97	105
122	New York, NY	50.91	109	178	57
123	Houston, TX	50.83	92	159	156
124	Rochester, NY	50.52	118	135	129
125	Brownsville, TX	50.21	151	122	28
126	Phoenix, AZ	50.13	103	148	158
127	Winston-Salem, NC	49.92	134	84	134
128	El Paso, TX	49.92	146	142	62
129	Fort Smith, AR	49.83	158	75	48
130	Miami, FL	49.82	126	133	128
131	Richmond, VA	49.68	117	144	146
132	Greensboro, NC	49.51	123	85	159
133	Jackson, MS	49.41	131	154	96
134	Norfolk, VA	49.35	122	160	126
135	Buffalo, NY	49.18	141	115	119
136	Indianapolis, IN	49.14	115	169	121
137	Corpus Christi, TX	49.11	132	103	151
138	Worcester, MA	48.92	114	126	172
139	Chattanooga, TN	48.84	159	79	77
140	Knoxville, TN	48.66	170	30	72
141	San Antonio, TX	48.61	145	89	133
142	Tucson, AZ	48.37	142	100	142
143	Oklahoma City, OK	48.36	144	113	132
144	New Haven, CT	48.16	98	153	175
145	Providence, RI	47.95	167	82	53
146	Wichita, KS	47.87	140	106	163
147	Little Rock, AR	47.56	150	165	64
148	Shreveport, LA	47.55	149	168	59
149	Cincinnati, OH	47.43	139	83	173
150	Stockton, CA	47.13	127	139	167
151	Las Vegas, NV	47.04	138	178	99
152	New Orleans, LA	47.00	143	156	138
153	Louisville, KY	46.55	164	123	97
154	Akron, OH	46.48	156	150	100
155	Bakersfield, CA	46.44	160	120	136
156	Fresno, CA	46.43	154	73	165
157	Baltimore, MD	46.23	125	173	164
158	Hialeah, FL	46.02	135	175	153
159	North Las Vegas, NV	45.92	147	181	91
160	Philadelphia, PA	45.80	165	158	89
161	Laredo, TX	45.72	166	86	143
162	Baton Rouge, LA	45.54	161	91	152
163	Newport News, VA	45.26	152	166	124
164	Charleston, WV	45.15	172	81	109
165	San Bernardino, CA	44.66	148	155	168
166	St. Louis, MO	44.30	157	147	162
167	Newark, NJ	43.97	153	182	108
168	Wilmington, DE	43.90	162	116	170
169	Birmingham, AL	43.87	169	143	137
170	Gulfport, MS	43.80	180	130	44
171	Columbus, GA	43.72	179	138	38
172	Tulsa, OK	43.32	163	119	171
173	Mobile, AL	43.24	173	161	92
174	Fayetteville, NC	42.55	171	163	127
175	Huntington, WV	42.50	181	38	122
176	Dover, DE	42.40	174	59	179
177	Montgomery, AL	42.37	177	164	37
178	Toledo, OH	42.18	176	141	154
179	Memphis, TN	40.16	168	172	174
180	Augusta, GA	38.76	182	157	120
181	Cleveland, OH	37.48	175	167	181
182	Detroit, MI	34.29	178	180	180

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.