by Fremont, California — A new national study ranking the happiest cities in the United States suggests where Americans live may play a major role in overall well-being. The latest report found that Fremont, California, once again holds the title of the happiest city in the country.
The ranking, released by WalletHub, analyzed 182 of the largest U.S. cities using dozens of indicators related to quality of life, including emotional well-being, income levels, employment, depression rates and leisure time.
Fremont ranked No. 1 overall for happiness in the U.S., repeating its top finish from 2025.
Researchers say several factors contributed to Fremont’s high ranking, including income levels, health metrics and community stability.
Why Fremont ranked the happiest city
One of the strongest indicators behind Fremont’s ranking is household income. According to the study, nearly 80% of households in Fremont earn more than $75,000 per year, a level researchers say often correlates with higher life satisfaction.
The city also scored well in several well-being categories, including:
- High overall life satisfaction
- Seventh-lowest depression rate
- Fifth-highest average life expectancy
- One of the lowest divorce rates in the country
“Studies show happiness tends to rise as income increases up to about $75,000,” researchers noted in the analysis.
Beyond that threshold, the relationship between income and happiness tends to level off.
California cities dominate the rankings
California performed particularly well overall, with six cities landing in the top 25 happiest places in the country.
Those cities include:
- Fremont (No. 1)
- Irvine (No. 8)
- San Jose (No. 10)
- San Francisco (No. 17)
- San Diego (No. 21)
- Huntington Beach (No. 25)
However, not every California city ranked highly. Los Angeles finished at No. 87 overall, placing much lower in categories such as community environment and income growth.
Mixed results for New York cities
Cities across New York had varied results in the happiness rankings.
New York City ranked 59th overall, scoring moderately in emotional well-being but significantly lower in income and employment.
Despite that, NYC did record one of the lowest suicide rates in the country, ranking fifth lowest among the cities studied.
Nearby Yonkers ranked higher at No. 38 overall, performing especially well in emotional and physical well-being.
Elsewhere in the state, Rochester ranked No. 142, while Buffalo placed No. 149, putting both cities closer to the bottom of the national list.
Jersey City ranks higher than NYC
In neighboring New Jersey, Jersey City ranked 31st happiest overall, outperforming New York City in several well-being categories.
According to the study:
- Jersey City ranked No. 16 in emotional and physical well-being
- It recorded the lowest depression rate among all cities analyzed
- The city also had the second-lowest suicide rate
However, Jersey City ranked lower in categories related to income growth and community environment.
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Another New Jersey city, Newark, ranked significantly lower overall at No. 147.
How the rankings were calculated
WalletHub’s study evaluated cities using 29 indicators across three major categories:
- Emotional and physical well-being
- Income and employment
- Community and environment
Metrics included factors such as:
- Depression rates
- Work hours
- Income growth
- Access to recreation
- Social connections
- Community engagement
Researchers say the goal is to measure overall quality of life rather than simply wealth or population size.
Top 10 happiest cities in the United States
According to the study, the 10 happiest cities in America are:
- Fremont, California
- Bismarck, North Dakota
- Scottsdale, Arizona
- South Burlington, Vermont
- Fargo, North Dakota
- Overland Park, Kansas
- Charleston, South Carolina
- Irvine, California
- Gilbert, Arizona
- San Jose, California
Cities ranked among the least happy
At the opposite end of the rankings, several cities placed near the bottom due to factors such as economic struggles, health indicators and community conditions.
The 10 least happy cities in the U.S. include:
- Detroit, Michigan (No. 182)
- Memphis, Tennessee (No. 181)
- Shreveport, Louisiana (No. 180)
- Cleveland, Ohio (No. 179)
- Huntington, West Virginia (No. 178)
- Toledo, Ohio (No. 177)
- Augusta, Georgia (No. 176)
- Fort Smith, Arkansas (No. 175)
- Dover, Delaware (No. 174)
- Akron, Ohio (No. 173)
Researchers note that happiness rankings can vary widely depending on economic conditions, lifestyle factors and access to resources.
The study suggests that a mix of income stability, health outcomes and strong community connections plays a key role in overall happiness.
Do you think where you live affects how happy you feel? Share your thoughts respectfully in the comments.
