Posted on 03/04/2023 4:14:22 PM PST by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
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.
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.
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.
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.
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, NHighest 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
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.
I think the list is crap....
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?
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.
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.
If anyone thinks Bridgeport is happier than New Haven, they’ve never been to either.
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.
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