Happiest Cities in America in 2026

Mar 10, 2026

Adam McCann, WalletHub Financial Writer

Mar 10, 2026WalletHub Financial Writer

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Location can influence how bright or gloomy our daily lives feel. For decades, researchers have explored the science of happiness and identified several core factors, including mental well-being, physical health, strong social ties, job satisfaction, and financial stability. Still, income has its limits — studies show that earning more than $75,000 a year does not lead to greater happiness. This helps explain why, despite being one of the wealthiest nations in the world, the United States ranks only 24th in the World Happiness Report.

Happiness levels also vary widely across the country. As this study suggests, relocating to the right city may increase overall life satisfaction. To identify where Americans are happiest, WalletHub analyzed more than 180 of the largest U.S. cities using insights from positive-psychology research. Each city was evaluated across 29 key indicators of happiness, including depression rates, income growth, and average daily leisure time.

To see which states combine all the necessary components of happiness, check out WalletHub’s report on the Happiest States in America.

“Research shows that having more money only increases your happiness until you’re making at least $75,000 per year – anything more you earn likely won’t have an impact. Therefore, when deciding where to live to maximize your happiness, you’ll want to pick a city that offers more than just a decent average income. The ideal city provides conditions that foster good mental and physical health, like reasonable work hours, short commutes, good weather, and caring neighbors.”

Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst

Table of Contents

Main Findings

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Happiest Cities in the U.S.

Overall Rank	City	Total Score	Emotional & Physical Well-Being Rank	Income & Employment Rank	Community & Environment Rank
1	Fremont, CA	74.09	1	89	4
2	Bismarck, ND	73.11	5	23	1
3	Scottsdale, AZ	71.36	11	14	2
4	South Burlington, VT	70.15	4	9	48
5	Fargo, ND	69.36	12	33	5
6	Overland Park, KS	68.45	2	55	68
7	Charleston, SC	68.44	17	10	3
8	Irvine, CA	67.99	8	39	32
9	Gilbert, AZ	67.96	14	27	6
10	San Jose, CA	67.79	7	45	42
11	Burlington, VT	67.54	21	2	13
12	Madison, WI	66.35	13	30	19
13	Columbia, MD	66.28	3	162	101
14	Chandler, AZ	65.69	19	52	10
15	Seattle, WA	65.62	6	7	152
16	Plano, TX	65.34	15	72	22
17	San Francisco, CA	64.99	10	75	69
18	Lincoln, NE	64.90	26	54	8
19	Portland, ME	64.59	42	3	12
20	Tempe, AZ	64.30	31	15	26
21	San Diego, CA	64.25	24	24	36
22	Raleigh, NC	63.47	22	92	29
23	Peoria, AZ	63.38	37	81	7
24	Durham, NC	62.84	34	49	34
25	Huntington Beach, CA	62.80	20	70	80
26	Omaha, NE	62.58	35	91	15
27	Nashua, NH	62.49	38	80	11
28	Honolulu, HI	62.10	43	48	30
29	Mesa, AZ	61.40	52	36	25
30	Chula Vista, CA	61.31	36	87	45
31	Jersey City, NJ	61.14	16	154	75
32	Boise, ID	60.96	44	5	92
33	Washington, DC	60.85	9	74	173
34	Minneapolis, MN	60.79	25	32	117
35	Aurora, IL	60.74	27	141	52
36	Sioux Falls, SD	60.71	23	28	154
37	Missoula, MT	60.55	61	21	43
38	Yonkers, NY	60.38	18	146	99
39	Austin, TX	60.36	40	20	97
40	Santa Clarita, CA	60.28	33	131	62
41	Cape Coral, FL	60.27	50	101	18
42	Pembroke Pines, FL	60.24	30	150	47
43	Glendale, CA	60.23	46	119	24
44	Chesapeake, VA	59.99	58	121	14
44	Santa Rosa, CA	59.99	54	50	50
46	Pearl City, HI	59.86	29	156	90
47	Oceanside, CA	59.79	41	82	83
48	Garden Grove, CA	59.73	63	47	36
49	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	59.69	51	77	46
50	Charlotte, NC	59.64	57	117	21
51	Manchester, NH	59.10	66	58	33
52	Oakland, CA	59.03	28	123	114
53	Fort Lauderdale, FL	58.39	47	98	91
54	Virginia Beach, VA	58.19	60	112	60
55	Anaheim, CA	58.07	68	69	61
56	Phoenix, AZ	58.05	67	78	59
57	Cedar Rapids, IA	57.99	56	130	55
58	Nampa, ID	57.91	80	13	73
59	New York, NY	57.63	48	152	71
60	Salt Lake City, UT	57.30	70	40	85
61	Port St. Lucie, FL	57.14	73	84	67
62	Pittsburgh, PA	56.94	76	11	105
63	Boston, MA	56.88	45	8	172
64	Santa Ana, CA	56.80	90	18	56
65	Denver, CO	56.74	32	139	150
66	Warwick, RI	56.59	62	113	96
67	Orlando, FL	56.59	69	19	133
68	Tampa, FL	56.46	77	68	81
69	Huntsville, AL	56.40	96	35	20
70	Irving, TX	56.39	78	83	79
71	St. Paul, MN	56.33	53	122	119
72	Fontana, CA	56.15	91	62	35
73	Colorado Springs, CO	56.13	87	73	53
74	Oxnard, CA	56.07	88	100	31
75	Glendale, AZ	55.86	82	97	74
76	Atlanta, GA	55.77	64	86	131
77	Billings, MT	55.76	101	46	28
78	Miami, FL	55.74	65	12	162
79	Juneau, AK	55.56	39	43	181
80	Sacramento, CA	55.54	84	25	110
81	Portland, OR	55.36	58	106	142
82	Aurora, CO	55.18	49	158	128
83	Chicago, IL	54.97	55	167	98
84	Rapid City, SD	54.85	81	16	157
85	Ontario, CA	54.77	99	59	49
86	Columbia, SC	54.49	121	66	9
87	Los Angeles, CA	54.46	75	96	126
88	Henderson, NV	54.46	102	149	16
89	Anchorage, AK	54.32	71	79	145
90	Grand Rapids, MI	54.28	100	44	77
91	St. Petersburg, FL	54.23	85	88	108
92	Garland, TX	54.20	95	115	54
93	Riverside, CA	54.19	97	37	89
94	Long Beach, CA	54.18	72	126	123
95	New Haven, CT	54.14	103	53	72
96	Bridgeport, CT	54.01	79	178	38
97	Reno, NV	53.91	112	42	57
98	Providence, RI	53.52	118	6	100
99	Winston-Salem, NC	53.47	116	99	40
100	Tallahassee, FL	53.39	98	38	107
101	Hialeah, FL	53.29	83	102	135
102	West Valley City, UT	53.18	120	63	39
103	Des Moines, IA	52.56	92	124	104
104	Salem, OR	52.41	110	65	93
105	Tacoma, WA	52.40	86	118	148
106	Grand Prairie, TX	52.34	111	147	27
107	Moreno Valley, CA	52.33	123	95	44
108	Greensboro, NC	52.03	106	107	94
109	Lexington-Fayette, KY	51.83	93	143	103
110	Cheyenne, WY	51.71	89	60	167
111	Dallas, TX	51.63	94	116	129
112	Modesto, CA	51.42	127	94	65
113	Fort Worth, TX	50.93	126	120	78
114	Vancouver, WA	50.34	74	129	178
115	Stockton, CA	50.18	115	85	138
116	Worcester, MA	50.12	109	57	164
117	Columbus, OH	50.02	119	151	84
118	Spokane, WA	49.98	108	34	169
119	Arlington, TX	49.91	128	133	87
120	Oklahoma City, OK	49.57	141	136	51
121	Las Cruces, NM	49.37	113	41	171
122	Tucson, AZ	49.22	138	90	106
123	Norfolk, VA	48.98	122	137	125
124	Albuquerque, NM	48.97	105	67	174
125	Jacksonville, FL	48.92	139	132	86
126	Richmond, VA	48.86	104	161	147
127	Kansas City, MO	48.79	124	135	120
128	Houston, TX	48.78	107	148	153
129	Casper, WY	48.55	114	109	163
130	North Las Vegas, NV	48.43	156	159	17
131	Springfield, MO	48.14	152	64	82
132	Fort Wayne, IN	48.14	130	153	118
133	Nashville, TN	48.14	129	108	151
134	Newport News, VA	48.13	134	155	95
135	Lubbock, TX	48.12	144	31	139
136	Fresno, CA	47.96	143	51	140
137	El Paso, TX	47.95	145	105	102
138	Las Vegas, NV	47.87	146	160	66
139	San Bernardino, CA	47.72	148	76	111
140	Laredo, TX	47.71	160	4	121
141	Louisville, KY	47.67	117	173	127
142	Rochester, NY	47.54	137	114	144
143	Amarillo, TX	47.51	158	71	76
144	Philadelphia, PA	47.35	136	134	136
145	Lewiston, ME	47.28	175	1	63
146	Cincinnati, OH	47.07	142	144	109
147	Newark, NJ	47.04	131	175	112
148	Indianapolis, IN	46.91	135	169	115
149	Buffalo, NY	46.89	132	128	160
150	Brownsville, TX	46.79	167	29	70
151	Wichita, KS	46.70	133	127	161
152	Bakersfield, CA	46.44	153	111	113
153	Milwaukee, WI	45.61	140	164	137
154	San Antonio, TX	45.58	149	93	158
155	Corpus Christi, TX	45.53	157	61	146
156	Chattanooga, TN	45.50	147	110	156
157	Fayetteville, NC	45.42	166	142	41
158	Tulsa, OK	45.33	168	103	88
159	New Orleans, LA	45.19	154	104	149
160	Mobile, AL	44.85	159	166	58
161	Little Rock, AR	44.48	155	138	134
162	Wilmington, DE	44.34	125	145	180
163	Knoxville, TN	44.04	164	26	166
164	St. Louis, MO	43.53	150	170	143
165	Jackson, MS	42.60	165	177	64
166	Charleston, WV	42.18	176	17	159
167	Gulfport, MS	41.65	178	157	23
168	Montgomery, AL	41.35	163	172	129
169	Columbus, GA	40.61	170	174	116
170	Baton Rouge, LA	40.47	169	140	165
171	Birmingham, AL	40.37	161	165	170
172	Baltimore, MD	40.28	151	179	176
173	Akron, OH	40.11	171	168	122
174	Dover, DE	39.08	162	125	182
175	Fort Smith, AR	38.66	180	56	132
176	Augusta, GA	38.24	172	163	168
177	Toledo, OH	37.21	177	176	155
178	Huntington, WV	37.20	182	22	124
179	Cleveland, OH	36.50	173	171	177
180	Shreveport, LA	34.93	179	180	141
181	Memphis, TN	34.39	174	181	179
182	Detroit, MI	29.55	181	182	175

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. Jersey City, NJ
2. Hialeah, FL
3. Miami, FL
4. Pearl City, HI
5. Pembroke Pines, FL

Highest

Highest
178. Portland, OR
179. Charleston, WV
180. Lewiston, ME
181. Knoxville, TN
182. Huntington, WV

Adequate-Sleep Rate

Highest

Highest
1. South Burlington, VT
2. Burlington, VT
3. Missoula, MT
4. Portland, OR
5. Denver, CO

Lowest

Lowest
178. Cleveland, OH
179. Newark, NJ
180. Pearl City, HI
181. Honolulu, HI
182. Detroit, MI

Sports-Participation Rate

Highest

Highest
1. South Burlington, VT
2. Seattle, WA
3. Scottsdale, AZ
4. Gilbert, AZ
5. Washington, DC

Lowest

Lowest
178. Brownsville, TX
179. Detroit, MI
180. Gulfport, MS
181. Newark, NJ
182. Laredo, TX

Suicide Rate

Lowest

Lowest
1. Newark, NJ
2. Jersey City, NJ
3. Boston, MA
4. Washington, DC
5. New York, NY

Highest

Highest
T-176. Missoula, MT
T-176. Colorado Springs, CO
T-176. Rapid City, SD
T-176. Juneau, AK
T-176. Casper, WY

Work Hours

Fewest

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

Most

Most
178. Washington, DC
179. Anchorage, AK
180. Dallas, TX
T-181. Scottsdale, AZ
T-181. Cheyenne, WY

Income Growth

Highest

Highest
1. Miami, FL
2. Providence, RI
3. Hialeah, FL
4. Nampa, ID
5. Oakland, CA

Lowest

Lowest
178. Gulfport, MS
179. Cedar Rapids, IA
180. Anchorage, AK
181. Casper, WY
182. 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

In-Depth Look at the Happiest Cities

Fremont, CA

Fremont, CA, is the happiest city in America, and one contributing factor is that the city has the highest share of households with an income above $75,000, at nearly 80%. Studies have shown that increasing your income up to $75,000 also increases your happiness, but making more than that does not. Therefore, cities where a lot of people make at least $75,000 per year are more likely to have maximized their happiness. People in Fremont also have the highest rate of life satisfaction, the seventh-lowest depression rate, and the fifth-highest average life expectancy in the country.

Another contributing factor to Fremont’s happiness is the fact that it has the lowest separation and divorce rate in the country, at only 9.3%. It also has the lowest share of adults who report having 14 or more mentally unhealthy days per month, so people in the city seem to be taking care of themselves psychologically.

Finally, Fremont also ranks fifth among the most caring cities in America, and when people care for each other, they boost each other’s happiness.

Bismarck, ND

The second-happiest city is Bismarck, ND, in part because it has the ninth-highest percentage of adults who report having good or better health, allowing residents to maintain a higher quality of life. It also has the 13th-lowest share of people who sleep less than seven hours per night, meaning families are more well-rested and better equipped to handle daily life with less stress.

In addition, Bismarck has the seventh-highest score on Sharecare’s Community Well-Being Index, which measures how much residents like where they live, feel safe, and take pride in their community. This high ranking reflects a strong sense of satisfaction and connection among residents, contributing to overall quality of life.

To top things off, Bismarck has the largest average amount of leisure time per day, measured in minutes, allowing residents more opportunities to unwind, spend time with loved ones, and focus on personal interests.

Scottsdale, AZ

Scottsdale, AZ, is the third-happiest city, in large part because its residents are healthy. More than 88% of adults in Scottsdale report having good or better health, the third-highest percentage in the country. In addition, nearly 87% participate in physical activities.

Scottsdale residents don’t just have good physical health, though – their mental health is also well taken care of. For example, the city has the third-lowest percentage of adults who report having 14 or more mentally unhealthy days per month.

Finally, people in Scottsdale have good incomes, which can also boost their happiness. About 65% of households in the city make over $75,000 per year, the income level that’s been demonstrated to maximize happiness, and just 7% of residents reported incomes below the poverty level in the past 12 months.

Ask the Experts

Many factors can affect a person’s happiness. For additional insight, we asked a panel of experts for their thoughts on the following key questions:

What tips do you have for someone who is unhappy with their career?
Does an individual’s happiness increase or decrease with age?
How much and in what ways does where you live influence your happiness?
Can money buy happiness?
Does the overall economic climate of a city affect individual happiness?

Ask the Experts

Matthew J. Grawitch
Ph.D. – Director, Strategic Research, School for Professional Studies - Saint Louis University
Read More

Dr. Diane M. Phillips
Ph.D. – Professor of Marketing - Saint Joseph’s University
Read More

Steven Meyers
Ph.D., ABPP – Professor of Psychology - Roosevelt University
Read More

Andrew Burnstine
Ph.D. – Associate Professor, College of Business and Management - Lynn University
Read More

Linchi Kwok
Ph.D. – Professor, The Collins College of Hospitality Management - Cal Poly Pomona
Read More

Rebecca Heid
Director, Hospitality and Sport Management - Northampton Community College
Read More

More Experts

Methodology

In order to determine the happiest cities in America, WalletHub compared 182 of the largest cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across three key dimensions: 1) Emotional & Physical Well-Being, 2) Income & Employment and 3) Community & Environment.

We evaluated these categories using 29 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing maximum happiness. Data for metrics marked with an asterisk (*) were available only at the state level.

We then determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

Our analysis draws upon the findings of the following research, each of which has indicated a correlation between our data and happiness:

Happy People Live Longer: Subjective Well-Being Contributes to Health and Longevity (Chan and Diener, 2010)
Happiness from Ordinary and Extraordinary Experiences (Bhattacharjee and Mogilner, 2014)
Sports Participation and Happiness: Evidence from U.S. Micro Data (Huang and Humphreys, 2010)
Unhappy Cities (Glaeser, et al., 2014)

Emotional & Physical Well-Being - Total Points: 50

Life-Satisfaction Index: Full Weight (~3.17 Points)
Depression Rate: Double Weight (~6.35 Points)
Suicide Rate: Full Weight (~3.17 Points)
Adequate-Sleep Rate: Double Weight (~6.35 Points)
Physical-Health Index: Double Weight (~6.35 Points)
Note: This metric measures the percentage of adults reporting good or better health.
Sports-Participation Rate: Double Weight (~6.35 Points)
Share of People Aged 12 or Older Who Used Marijuana in the Past Month: Half Weight (~1.59 Points)
Retail Opioid Prescriptions Dispensed per 100 Persons: Quarter Weight (~0.79 Points)
Share of Adults with Mental Health Not Good: Double Weight (~6.35 Points)
Note: This metric measures the percentage of adults with 14 or more mentally unhealthy days reported in the past month.
Life Expectancy: Full Weight (~3.17 Points)
Food-Insecurity Rate: Double Weight (~6.35 Points)

Income & Employment - Total Points: 25

Income-Growth Rate: Double Weight (~3.13 Points)
Share of Households Earning Annual Incomes Above $75,000: Full Weight (~1.56 Points)
Poverty Rate: Full Weight (~1.56 Points)
Job Satisfaction: Full Weight (~1.56 Points)
4+ Star Job Opportunities per Total People in the Labor Force: Full Weight (~1.56 Points)
Note: This metric measures the number of job opportunities at 4+ star rated companies on Glasssdoor.com per the total people in the labor force.
Job Security: Full Weight (~1.56 Points)
Note: This metric measures the probability of unemployment.
Unemployment Rate: Double Weight (~3.13 Points)
Underemployment Rate: Double Weight (~3.13 Points)
Bankruptcy Rate: Double Weight (~3.13 Points)
Weekly Work Hours: Double Weight (~3.13 Points)
Commute Time: Full Weight (~1.56 Points)

Community & Environment - Total Points: 25

WalletHub’s "Most Caring Cities" Ranking: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
Separation & Divorce Rate: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
Hate-Crime Incidents per Capita: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
Ideal Weather: Half Weight (~1.79 Points)
Note: This metric uses data from WalletHub’s "Cities with the Best & Worst Weather" ranking.
Acres of Parkland per 1,000 Residents: Half Weight (~1.79 Points)
Average Leisure Time Spent per Day*: Double Weight (~7.14 Points)
Well-Being “Community” Index Score: Full Weight (~3.57 Points)
Note: This metric refers to the “Community” section of the Sharecare Well-Being Index, which refers to “liking where you live, feeling safe and having pride in your community.”

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected as of February 10, 2026 from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Sharecare Community Well-Being Index, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Feeding America, Chmura Economics & Analytics, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Minnesota Population Center, University of Minnesota, The Trust for Public Land, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Glassdoor.com, Indeed and WalletHub research.

Supporting Video Files:

Questions & Answers(4 questions)

Editorial and user-generated content on this page is not reviewed or otherwise endorsed by any financial institution. Please keep in mind that it is not a financial institution’s responsibility to ensure all posts and questions are answered.

Upvotes

what about Santa Barbara California?

Upvotes

What about Sammamish, Wa, Snoqualmie, Wa? Have lived in OC, Irvine doesnt compare. Born and raised in California

Upvotes

Is $75,000 annual income as a guideline still valid? That's a study done in 2010

David Carter

It would be difficult renting a two bedroom apartment in Los Angeles with a pretax income of $75000.00 a year. To get a mortgage on a median priced home here requires a household income over double that - almost $170,000.00 per year.

Upvotes

What about Marin County California

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Happiest Cities in America (2026)

Main Findings

Happiest Cities in the U.S.

In-Depth Look at the Happiest Cities

Fremont, CA

Bismarck, ND

Scottsdale, AZ

Ask the Experts

Ask the Experts

Methodology

Emotional & Physical Well-Being - Total Points: 50

Income & Employment - Total Points: 25

Community & Environment - Total Points: 25

Supporting Video Files:

Questions & Answers(4 questions)

what about Santa Barbara California?

What about Sammamish, Wa, Snoqualmie, Wa? Have lived in OC, Irvine doesnt compare. Born and raised in California

Is $75,000 annual income as a guideline still valid? That's a study done in 2010

What about Marin County California

Important Disclosures