These Are the 10 Happiest Cities in America Right Now

Unhappy in your current city? It may be time to move!

As many will tell you, where you live can impact how well you live. Perhaps it’s the weather or the residents’ overall work-life balance. Whatever the reason – it’s apparent that some cities are more conducive to happiness than others, as WalletHub’s latest study revealed. The personal finance website recently released its study on 2023’s happiest cities in America, and the results are certainly worth noting – especially for those contemplating a move sometime soon.

In order to determine the happiest places to live in the U.S., WalletHub evaluated 150 of the largest cities in terms of their Emotional and Physical Well-Being; Income and Employment; and Community and Environment. The analysts evaluated all three of these categories using 30 different metrics (e.g. obesity rate, suicide rate, works hours, income growth, etc). The website then calculated the overall scores for each of the 150 cities to find out which places were “happiest.”

So how did the results pan out? Well, according to the study, it seems that California is a happiness magnet. In fact, eight of the 10 happiest cities in America happen to be in Cali. So maybe there is some truth to that old “West Coast, best coast” motto, at least in terms of smiles and cheery residents! To see what other spots cracked WalletHub’s top 10 “Happiest Places to Live in America” list, keep reading.

#1 Fremont, CA

Rankings: Fremont, California ranked as the number one happiest place to live in America due to its high scores across the board. The city ranked first in income and employment, first in community and environment, and second in emotional and physical well-being. According to AreaVibes , the city is “exceptionally livable” because of its A+ amenities, low crime rate, stable housing market and sunny weather.

Population: According to the town’s website , Fremont has an estimated population of 226,551 people.

Median Home Price: At the time this article was written, the median listing price for a home in Fremont was $939,000. For more information, check Realtor.com’s housing market profile .

#2 San Jose, CA

Rankings: San Jose, California came in as the second happiest place to live in America and ranked first for overall emotional and physical well-being. The city ranked third for income and employment and 15th for community and environment. According to AreaVibes, the city is “extremely livable” because of its A+ amenities, sunny weather and stable housing market.

Population: With an estimated population of 1,000,536, San Jose is the 10th largest city in the United States, according to World Population Review .

Median Home Price: At the time this article was written, the median listing price for a home in San Jose was $789,000. For more information, check Realtor.com’s housing market profile .

#3 Irvine, CA

Rankings: Irvine, California is the third happiest place to live in America, according to WalletHub. The city ranked fifth for emotional and physical well-being, ninth for income and employment, and sixth for community and environment. According to AreaVibes , Irvine is “exceptionally livable” because of its high number of amenities, sunny weather, stable housing market and low crime rates. The city also boasts B+ ratings for education and employment.

Population: Irvine has an estimated population of 212,375, according to World Population Review .

Median Home Price: At the time this article was written, the median listing price for a home in Irvine was $968,000. For more information, check Realtor.com’s housing market profile .

#4 San Francisco, CA

Rankings: San Francisco, California ranked as the fourth happiest place to live in America. The city scored high, ranking second for income and employment and third for emotional and physical well-being. The city ranked 101st for community and environment. According to AreaVibes , San Francisco is “somewhat livable,” with high scores for its amenities, weather, stable housing market and high income per capita. The city did receive low scores for its high crime rate and cost of living, however.

Population: With an estimated population over 860,000, San Francisco is the fourth most populated city in California, according to World Population Review .

Median Home Price: At the time this article was written, the median listing price for a home in San Francisco was $1.3M. For more information, check Realtor.com’s housing market profile .

#5 Sioux Falls, SD

Rankings: Sioux Falls, South Dakota is the fifth happiest place to live in America, according to WalletHub. The city ranked tenth for emotional and physical well-being, 21st for income and employment, and third for community and environment. According to AreaVibes , Sioux Falls is “extremely livable” because of its low cost of living, high income per capita, high graduation rates and high number of amenities.

Population: Sioux Falls is South Dakota’s largest city and has an estimated population of 170,000, according to World Population Review .

Median Home Price: At the time this article was written, the median listing price for a home in Sioux Falls was $183,000. For more information, check Realtor.com’s housing market profile .

#6 Huntington Beach, CA

Rankings: Huntington Beach, California ranked as the sixth happiest place to live in America. The city also comes in as sixth for emotional and physical well-being, 11th for income and employment rate, and 45th for community and environment. According to AreaVibes , Huntington Beach is “exceptionally livable,” with a stable housing market, sunny weather, low crime rates and high number of amenities.

Population: Huntington Beach has an estimated population of 189,992, according to World Population Review .

Median Home Price: At the time this article was written, the median listing price for a home in Huntington Beach was $819,000. For more information, check Realtor.com’s housing market profile .

#7 San Diego, CA

Rankings: San Diego, California is the seventh happiest place to live in America, according to WalletHub. The city ranked eighth for emotional and physical well-being, seventh for income and employment, and 40th for community and environment. According to AreaVibes , San Diego is “extremely livable,” with lots of local amenities, sunny weather and a stable housing market.

Population: With an estimated population of 1,339,000, San Diego is the second largest city in California and eighth largest in the country, according to World Population Review .

Median Home Price: At the time this article was written, the median listing price for a home in San Diego was $699,000. For more information, check Realtor.com’s housing market profile .

#8 Oakland, CA

Rankings: Oakland, California ranked as the eighth happiest place to live in America. The city came in at number four for emotional and physical well-being. It ranked in 34th place for income and employment and was 119th for community and environment. According to AreaVibes , Oakland is “somewhat livable,” with plenty of sunny weather, a stable housing market and ample number of amenities. However, the city scored low for cost of living and crime.

Population: Oakland has an estimated population of 405,000, according to World Population Review .

Median Home Price: At the time this article was written, the median listing price for a home in Oakland was $566,000. For more information, check Realtor.com’s housing market profile .

#9 Santa Rosa, CA

Rankings: Santa Rosa, California ranked as the ninth happiest place to live in America. The city comes in at 20th for emotional and physical well-being, 15th for income and employment, and 23rd for community and environment. According to AreaVibes , Santa Rosa is “very livable,” with high scores for its stable housing market, weather, and amenities.

Population: Santa Rosa has an estimated population of 167,815, according to World Population Review .

Median Home Price: At the time this article was written, the median listing price for a home in Santa Rosa was $614,000. For more information, check Realtor.com’s housing market profile .

#10 Washington, DC

Rankings: Rounding out the list is Washington, DC at number 10. The city came in as 13th for emotional and physical well-being, sixth for income and employment, and 65th for community and environment. According to AreaVibes , Washington, DC is “somewhat livable,” boasting plenty of local amenities, a stable housing market and nice weather.

Population: Washington, DC has an estimated population of 643,000, according to World Population Review .

Median Home Price: At the time this article was written, the median listing price for a home in the District was $550,000. For more information, check Realtor.com’s housing market profile .

To see how other cities fared in WalletHub’s rankings, check out the rest of 2023’s Happiest States in America here .

To make one of these happy places your new home, you’ll need the right moving company for the job. Check out Moving.com’s extensive network of reputable and reliable movers. All relocation companies in our network are licensed and insured, so you can rest-assured that your move will be in good hands. Good luck and happy moving!