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