Two Bay Area cities were just ranked as the happiest cities in the United States, according to a new study of over 180 of the largest cities in the country. The study ranked Fremont, California, as the happiest city, with San Jose closely following in second place.
Happiness is often highly subjective, but to gain a broad view, the study evaluated cities across three categories: Emotional & Physical Well-Being, Income & Employment, and Community & Environment. From there, metrics were given to each category, like depression rates, job satisfaction, divorce rates, and more. Metrics were given a weight, and then compiled to give each city an overall score. The cities with the highest scores were then identified as the “happiest.”
California was well represented, accounting for 5 of the top 10 happiest cities. San Francisco also did notably well, ranking at #9, following Scottsdale, Arizona.
Check out the top 10 happiest cities:
- Fremont, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Irvine, CA
- Sioux Falls, SD
- Overland Park, KS
- Lincoln, NE
- Madison, WI
- Scottsdale, AZ
- San Francisco, CA
- Huntington Beach, CA
The study notes that Fremont has the highest share of households with incomes above $75,000, refrencing a 2010 study that found that incomes below $ 75,000 exacerbated emotional stress. Although the 2010 study is well known, a more recent study has suggested that the income threshold for happiness is actually much higher.
Notably, Fremont also had the fifth-lowest depression rate and was tied for fourth in sports participation. The city also had the lowest divorce rate, with San Jose ranked fourth lowest. Another interesting finding showed that San Jose has the longest average life expectancy in the country out of the over 180 cities evaluated.
You can read the full ranking of the happiest cities here.