Are These Really the Happiest Cities in America? Upon closer inspection, something seems a bit off about this list from WalletHub

American Thinker ^ | 03/04/2023 | Noel S. Williams

[SeekAndFind]

WalletHub’s recently released rankings of the happiest cities seems to defy reality.  Then again, the psychologists who concocted the rankings seem to defy common sense.

The list was conjured by a bunch of homogeneous professors — by one measure, liberal professors outnumber conservatives by 12 to 1.  What’s more, the professors behind this “happiest cities” ranking are all psychologists, in one form or another. Perhaps one of the professions most dominated by liberal social activists, studies indicate that the ratio of liberals to conservatives in the field of psychology is 14 to 1.  That’s not very diverse.

Not to unnecessarily cast aspersions, but given these forbidding ratios, it’s still legitimate to question the motives of such an apparently intellectually incestuous group of psychologists — without one White male, in their unhappy, un-DEI group (See “Ask the Experts” section).

Given the “publish or perish” imperative in liberal academia, skepticism about their intellectual integrity may be warranted.  But let’s give them a chance, and see what they came up with for WalletHub.  First, let’s consider a couple of factors that contribute to lasting “happiness,” then take a closer look at their data, particularly as it relates to cities in the tarnished state of California.

Our founders may very well have delineated some of our inalienable rights as life, liberty, and the pursuit of progress.  Progress toward meaningful goals plays an important role in psychological well-being that’s intrinsic to lasting happiness.  And, ultimately, there’s not much more meaningful than helping others.

[SeekAndFind]

Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy described what happiness meant to our founders: “Happiness meant that feeling of self-worth and dignity you acquire by contributing to your community and to its civic life.”

Activities that provide a sense of purpose include helping others through charitable giving and volunteer work.  In those areas, the cities the ivory tower psychologists rated as “happy” actually underperformed.  Let’s take a closer look….

It’s no secret that residents are fleeing California; in fact, based on Census Bureau population data, they recently lost a congressional seat for the first time.  Many are leaving the Bay Area, per a U-Haul migration trends report.  Yet, of the top five happiest cities according to the WalletHub report, three are in the Bay Area and surroundings:  Fremont, San Jose (close), and San Francisco itself.  Please remember:  that is out of 182 ranked cities.  Oakland — yep, crime-ridden and dirty Oakland, of all places — is just outside the top 10 at number thirteen.  Overall, 6 of the top 20 happiest cities are in California, both in the north and south.

[SeekAndFind]

Main Findings FROM WALLETHUB

Happiest Cities in the U.S.

Overall Rank	City	Total Score	Emotional & Physical Well-Being	Income & Employment	Community & Environment
1	Fremont, CA	76.10	1	34	1
2	San Jose, CA	70.35	2	3	64
3	Madison, WI	69.72	5	41	8
4	Overland Park, KS	68.93	6	87	6
5	San Francisco, CA	68.73	4	8	69
6	Irvine, CA	67.83	8	40	18
7	Columbia, MD	67.71	3	176	28
8	Sioux Falls, SD	67.02	10	72	21
9	South Burlington, VT	66.51	11	25	47
10	Burlington, VT	65.83	28	1	11
11	Seattle, WA	65.59	7	4	119
12	Bismarck, ND	64.12	24	44	23
13	Oakland, CA	64.08	9	50	99
14	Huntington Beach, CA	64.04	14	52	53
15	San Diego, CA	63.98	21	28	27
16	Scottsdale, AZ	63.48	45	66	2
17	Minneapolis, MN	62.63	12	15	113
18	Yonkers, NY	62.50	17	118	44
19	Aurora, IL	62.49	16	154	15
20	Fargo, ND	62.42	23	47	67
21	Portland, ME	62.38	22	7	123
22	Raleigh, NC	62.37	13	77	76
23	Anaheim, CA	62.09	35	38	45
24	Garden Grove, CA	62.01	30	39	63
25	Chula Vista, CA	61.90	33	57	36
26	Santa Rosa, CA	61.52	26	19	95
27	Glendale, CA	61.29	46	69	19
28	Oxnard, CA	61.12	47	86	9
29	Plano, TX	61.02	48	56	25
30	Gilbert, AZ	60.91	54	62	13
31	Santa Clarita, CA	60.51	36	121	37
32	Jersey City, NJ	60.45	29	133	50
33	Honolulu, HI	60.40	25	64	81
34	Lincoln, NE	60.29	19	88	97
35	Charleston, SC	60.23	65	21	31
36	Oceanside, CA	60.23	37	71	65
37	Pembroke Pines, FL	59.97	49	139	7
38	Anchorage, AK	59.96	42	84	57
39	Salt Lake City, UT	59.94	62	35	46
40	Boise, ID	59.86	31	2	149
41	Omaha, NE	59.62	44	91	60
42	Sacramento, CA	59.51	60	10	70
43	Rapid City, SD	59.48	51	23	86
44	Santa Ana, CA	59.34	53	5	93
45	Portland, OR	59.33	27	63	118
46	Charlotte, NC	59.29	40	70	80
47	Boston, MA	59.28	34	9	147
48	Aurora, CO	59.20	43	116	55
49	Austin, TX	58.87	52	26	87
50	Washington, DC	58.69	15	129	138
51	Chandler, AZ	58.66	63	95	43
52	Cape Coral, FL	58.66	82	90	3
53	Fort Lauderdale, FL	58.52	66	75	32
54	Tempe, AZ	58.40	69	43	49
55	Pearl City, HI	58.18	18	148	158
56	Juneau, AK	58.00	20	73	177
57	New York, NY	57.99	61	152	16
58	Denver, CO	57.96	32	104	128
59	Chesapeake, VA	57.95	70	131	10
60	Nashua, NH	57.85	85	78	5
61	Tampa, FL	57.85	79	29	34
62	West Valley City, UT	57.64	81	51	20
63	Virginia Beach, VA	57.59	64	120	51
64	Cedar Rapids, IA	57.58	50	94	104
65	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	57.45	75	33	52
66	Miami, FL	57.45	58	27	117
67	Peoria, AZ	57.37	71	126	14
68	Bridgeport, CT	57.05	57	161	24
69	Nampa, ID	56.88	72	22	83
70	Grand Rapids, MI	56.84	87	12	54
71	Durham, NC	56.83	39	76	141
72	Colorado Springs, CO	56.77	80	59	41
73	St. Paul, MN	56.74	38	106	139
74	Chicago, IL	56.72	41	174	58
75	Orlando, FL	56.66	76	18	79
76	Los Angeles, CA	56.02	56	81	129
77	Des Moines, IA	55.96	55	92	136
78	Pittsburgh, PA	55.47	95	13	59
79	Long Beach, CA	55.46	59	123	112
80	Manchester, NH	55.28	106	65	12
81	Missoula, MT	55.05	73	37	133
82	Mesa, AZ	55.05	84	89	62
83	Ontario, CA	54.97	104	32	35
84	St. Petersburg, FL	54.93	90	20	94
85	Providence, RI	54.92	103	6	73
86	Hialeah, FL	54.84	68	137	88
87	Moreno Valley, CA	54.79	96	82	29
88	Port St. Lucie, FL	54.61	123	54	4
89	Riverside, CA	54.60	89	16	108
90	Cheyenne, WY	54.50	78	60	121
91	Warwick, RI	54.30	67	134	143
92	Fontana, CA	54.27	105	61	33
93	Reno, NV	53.40	100	17	97
94	Irving, TX	53.23	98	53	84
95	Tallahassee, FL	52.88	128	11	56
96	Tacoma, WA	52.75	77	150	105
97	Atlanta, GA	52.36	91	101	116
98	Columbia, SC	52.20	126	68	38
99	Grand Prairie, TX	52.18	120	109	48
100	Wilmington, DE	52.15	116	147	17
101	Garland, TX	52.04	112	105	72
102	Rochester, NY	51.81	118	79	82
103	Las Cruces, NM	51.76	101	83	120
104	Worcester, MA	51.65	74	117	171
105	New Haven, CT	51.60	110	31	145
106	Henderson, NV	51.55	133	135	22
107	Glendale, AZ	51.54	93	132	100
108	Vancouver, WA	51.48	86	113	154
109	Milwaukee, WI	51.31	83	171	90
110	Laredo, TX	51.21	124	14	124
111	Jacksonville, FL	51.20	132	103	42
112	Phoenix, AZ	51.20	88	111	148
113	Fort Worth, TX	51.01	119	119	78
114	Winston-Salem, NC	50.97	108	115	96
115	Billings, MT	50.84	99	42	167
116	Brownsville, TX	50.47	136	67	68
117	Modesto, CA	50.40	131	46	102
118	El Paso, TX	50.18	107	151	89
119	Stockton, CA	50.18	115	85	132
120	Lewiston, ME	49.99	146	24	61
121	Buffalo, NY	49.86	122	100	111
122	Nashville, TN	49.55	111	130	130
123	Arlington, TX	49.45	114	140	115
124	Dallas, TX	49.23	113	99	153
125	Newark, NJ	49.16	102	163	110
126	Fresno, CA	49.14	129	55	135
127	Norfolk, VA	49.06	109	156	125
128	Albuquerque, NM	49.04	92	98	174
129	Houston, TX	48.83	94	145	157
130	Greensboro, NC	48.77	97	108	168
131	Wichita, KS	48.38	130	136	101
132	San Bernardino, CA	48.25	140	36	131
133	Oklahoma City, OK	48.16	145	146	40
134	Tucson, AZ	47.83	134	93	137
135	Bakersfield, CA	47.58	143	102	107
136	Salem, OR	47.38	117	96	178
137	Spokane, WA	47.36	139	48	152
138	Fort Wayne, IN	47.30	142	138	85
139	Las Vegas, NV	47.08	153	157	39
140	Newport News, VA	46.70	127	165	126
141	Lexington-Fayette, KY	46.63	125	144	151
142	Huntsville, AL	46.55	157	124	30
143	Columbus, OH	46.53	121	149	163
144	North Las Vegas, NV	46.38	160	160	26
145	San Antonio, TX	46.23	141	112	146
146	Little Rock, AR	46.06	148	143	75
147	Kansas City, MO	45.84	137	127	159
148	Philadelphia, PA	45.63	151	128	103
149	Dover, DE	45.58	155	125	92
150	Baltimore, MD	45.18	138	172	109
151	Tulsa, OK	45.11	162	110	77
152	Indianapolis, IN	44.72	150	167	91
153	Springfield, MO	44.64	170	74	71
154	Richmond, VA	44.60	135	162	161
155	St. Louis, MO	44.55	147	153	127
156	Amarillo, TX	44.51	164	122	74
157	Louisville, KY	44.46	149	159	114
158	New Orleans, LA	44.08	152	49	172
159	Corpus Christi, TX	43.96	158	97	134
160	Casper, WY	43.89	144	155	165
161	Lubbock, TX	43.61	163	58	155
162	Knoxville, TN	41.98	166	80	164
163	Cincinnati, OH	41.26	156	141	173
164	Birmingham, AL	40.68	167	158	144
165	Fort Smith, AR	40.23	179	45	122
166	Mobile, AL	39.79	174	177	66
167	Chattanooga, TN	39.66	154	175	176
168	Akron, OH	39.65	165	168	156
169	Baton Rouge, LA	39.61	169	114	175
170	Fayetteville, NC	38.84	168	164	169
171	Charleston, WV	38.75	176	30	170
172	Toledo, OH	38.29	175	142	160
173	Gulfport, MS	37.82	172	170	162
174	Columbus, GA	37.51	178	166	106
175	Jackson, MS	37.33	161	181	179
176	Augusta, GA	36.41	173	179	166
177	Memphis, TN	35.48	159	182	181
178	Montgomery, AL	35.40	177	173	142
179	Cleveland, OH	34.16	171	169	182
180	Shreveport, LA	33.21	180	180	150
181	Huntington, WV	32.83	182	107	140
182	Detroit, MI	30.60	181	178	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.

Depression Rate

Lowest

• Lowest
• 1. Fremont, CA
• 2. Pearl City, HI
• 3. Honolulu, HI
• 4. San Jose, CA
• 5. Irvine, CA

Highest

• Highest
• 178. Spokane, WA
• 179. Vancouver, WA
• 180. Knoxville, TN
• 181. Charleston, WV
• 182. Huntington, WV

Best City vs. Worst City: 3x Difference

Fremont, CA vs. Huntington, WV

Adequate-Sleep Rate

Highest

• Highest
• 1. South Burlington, VT
• 2. Madison, WI
• 3. Portland, OR
• 4. Burlington, VT
• 5. Seattle, WA

Lowest

• Lowest
• T-178. Birmingham, AL
• T-178. Augusta, GA
• 180. Montgomery, AL
• 181. Cleveland, OH
• 182. Detroit, MI

Best City vs. Worst City: 2x Difference

South Burlington, VT vs. Detroit, MI

Sports-Participation Rate

Highest

• Highest
• 1. South Burlington, VT
• 2. Seattle, WA
• 3. Overland Park, KS
• 4. Scottsdale, AZ
• 5. Missoula, MT

Lowest

• Lowest
• 178. Brownsville, TX
• 179. Shreveport, LA
• 180. Miami, FL
• 181. Laredo, TX
• 182. Hialeah, FL

Best City vs. Worst City: 2x Difference

South Burlington, VT vs. Hialeah, FL

Suicide Rate

Lowest

• Lowest
• 1. Newark, NJ
• 2. Jersey City, NJ
• 3. New York, NY
• 4. Columbia, MD
• 5. Yonkers, NY

Highest

• Highest
• T-177. Colorado Springs, CO
• T-177. Billings, MT
• T-177. Juneau, AK
• T-177. Rapid City, SD
• T-177. Casper, WY

Best City vs. Worst City: 8x Difference

Newark, NJ vs. Casper, WY

Work Hours

Fewest

• Fewest
• 1. Burlington, VT
• 2. Tallahassee, FL
• T-3. New Haven, CT
• T-3. Huntington, WV
• 5. Bridgeport, CT

Most

• Most
• 178. Dallas, TX
• 179. Scottsdale, AZ
• T-180. Fayetteville, NC
• T-180. Casper, WY
• 182. Norfolk, VA

Income Growth

Highest

• Highest
• 1. Oakland, CA
• 2. San Francisco, CA
• 3. Miami, FL
• 4. San Bernardino, CA
• 5. Seattle, WA

Lowest

• Lowest
• 178. Fayetteville, NC
• 179. Charleston, WV
• 180. Shreveport, LA
• 181. Casper, WY
• 182. Juneau, AK

Best City vs. Worst City: 11x Difference

Oakland, CA vs. Juneau, AK

Separation & Divorce Rate

Lowest

• Lowest
• 1. Fremont, CA
• 2. Irvine, CA
• 3. Pearl City, HI
• 4. Gilbert, AZ
• 5. San Jose, CA

Highest

• Highest
• 178. Wilmington, DE
• 179. Rochester, NY
• 180. Birmingham, AL
• 181. Detroit, MI
• 182. Cleveland, OH

Best City vs. Worst City: 5x Difference

Fremont, CA vs. Cleveland, OH

Show More

[x]

What I said last time, with a little editing:

These are the cities where the people who make up the surveys think people ought to be happiest, not the cities where people actually are the happiest.

There are places where people are horribly unhappy, but is there really much difference between the places we are told are the happiest and places where people are just reasonably contented?

If you look closely at the survey's numbers, people who live in San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland are "happy" because those people are rich and healthy and have interesting jobs and activities and know other rich and healthy people who do interesting things, but they really aren’t happy living in those cities with all the problems those cities have. They would be happy living in many different places and would be happier living somewhere else.

[MotorCityBuck]

I can see why Detroit is last. I'm not happy about the power being off 7 of the last 16 days over 2 storms.
Yea! DTE🤮

[KarlInOhio]

1. Come up with the list the way you think it should be.
2. Gather a huge amount of data that may be vaguely related to the topic you're investigating.
3. Have the computer come up with the weighting factors necessary to force part two's data to come close to part one's desired result. 4. Publish!

[Codeflier]

OMG! Oxnard at 28! I go to Oxnard a good bit for work. Oxnard is a dump and getting dumpier fast. This list is a joke. You can sense the rapid decline taking place in Oxnard. When I stay a week, it’s gotten worse just during that week. LOL.

[Verginius Rufus]

Two cities in North Dakota in the top 20? They may be fine places in other respects but you’ve got to love a long cold winter to live in that state.

[Blurb2350]

Exactly, x. When I was preparing to move, I looked at many “Best Places to Live” and “Best Places to Retire”-type lists. The criteria always included the currently fashionable data — LGBTQ-friendliness, diversity, mental health facilities, etc. The resulting lists were completely useless except perhaps for lefties.

[BobL]

As long as one doesn’t mind GETTING ROBBED (or raped) on a regular basis, I would have to agree with most of the listing.

[ken in texas]

Exactly. For a complete how-to guide:

[daniel1212]

Lowest Depression Rate [All $unshine states]: 1. Fremont, CA 2. Pearl City, HI 3. Honolulu, HI 4. San Jose, CA 5. Irvine, CA

Lowest Separation & Divorce Rate [All $unshine states]: 1. Fremont, CA 2. Irvine, CA 3. Pearl City, HI 4. Gilbert, AZ 5. San Jose, CA

Highest Separation & Divorce Rate 178. Wilmington, DE 179. Rochester, NY 180. Birmingham, AL 181. Detroit, MI 182. Cleveland, OH

Lowest Suicide Rate [high pop. density] 1. Newark, NJ 2. Jersey City, NJ 3. New York, NY 4. Columbia, MD 5. Yonkers, N

Highest Suicide Rate [low pop. density] T-177. Colorado Springs, CO [Spanning over 195 miles] T-177. Billings, MT T-177. Juneau, AK T-177. Rapid City, SD T-177. Casper, WY

[the OlLine Rebel]

Sorry so late but I could not read until later.

I have to reply since my “hometown”, Columbia MD is ranked 7! (I still live next to it, and where I grew up is not true Kolumbia, as I prefer to fashion it.)

I’ll have to look over how they came up with this, but I find it funny it’s ranked so lowly for employment and income - we are supposed to be the richest county in the nation, or close, and everyone always acts as if everyone has a job there.

Don’t get me going on Kolumbia and their patron, St. James of Rouse, peace be upon Him.

[Osage Orange]

I think the list is crap....

[Freest Republican]

1000 people a day for decades have moved from blue to red states. They said retirees and climate! Out of nowhere the moving companies started surveying the folks-the majority were for greater economic opportunity and jobs. Retirees came in third place. They say nothing now.

It is nice though that some news picked up on the worst pandemic rebounding unemployment rates all being in blue no right to work, max shutdown states.

I just don’t get it. If big government liberal socialism is so wonderful-why are folks fleeing it in droves instead of moving to it. Further why do they need every institution and industry colluding to rig elections?

[Clemenza]

Doesn’t change the fact that the country ain’t getting more red. Nor is. It going commie either. The “blue state” and “red state” schtick has to end - I remember when VA, CO, and NH were red states but not any more.

[Freest Republican]

Except that it has become dramatically redder since 2010.
Only twice in the history of the Democrat party have they held less elected offices as a percent of the whole than in 2016. Despite NH, VA etc...GOP currently holds at or near record House seats, state legislatures & governors.

Absent the shenanigans, the Dems would hold less than even in the 1920’s and largely be a boutique party pf the coastal elites.

[muir_redwoods]

If anyone thinks Bridgeport is happier than New Haven, they’ve never been to either.

[Clemenza]

As an elder pointed out to me years ago, way back when the American people were electing Eisenhower and later his VP Nixon to the presidency - the GOP was very weak organizationally and in terms of popularity at the state, local, and congressional level in nearly every single region of the country. Dems truly were the “default” party in the US from the 1930s until the 80s/90s. Don’t know what the near future holds but I am always pessimistic - I do think the deciding voters in US elections are a mixed bag and not exactly closet conservatives or lefties either. They just vote on whatever issue gets their panties in a bunch - witness all the single ladies voting on the abortion issue last November.