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5 Things That Make a City a Happy Place to Live (and Which Ones Are Doing a Good Job)

By Barbara Bellesi Zito - Apr 24, 2022 at 7:20AM
Two people swing a child between them as they all walk on a city footbridge.

5 Things That Make a City a Happy Place to Live (and Which Ones Are Doing a Good Job)

Location, location, location

There's truth to the cliché: Real estate really is all about location. Find the spot on the map that's right for you, and you're in your happy place -- no matter the size or type of home you're living in.

But what is it that makes a house a happy place for homeowners and renters?

Credit monitoring and personal finance advice website WalletHub analyzed 182 of the largest U.S. cities through three different lenses: emotional and physical well-being, income and employment, and community and environment.

Let's take a look at some of the elements that make a "happy" city and which locations top the list.

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A smiling person standing in front of a turquoise brick wall.

1. Happiness is a good night's sleep

You already know how you feel waking up after a good night's sleep. Now multiply that rise-and-shine feeling among the members of your community. It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood most of the time in these cities that report higher rates of adequate sleep.

  1. South Burlington, Vermont
  2. Minneapolis, Minnesota
  3. Overland Park, Kansas
  4. Seattle, Washington
  5. Rapid City, South Dakota

ALSO READ: 35% of Americans Lose Sleep Over Their Debt. Here's How to Get a Handle on Yours

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A group of people celebrates after winning a soccer game.

2. Happiness is playing sports

City residents who play hard are also among the happiest. Maybe it's the endorphins from the exercise or the thrill of the competition, but these sports lovers get their kicks by playing well -- and often -- with other athletes in their communities. Here are the cities that topped the list for sports participation:

  1. Seattle, Washington
  2. South Burlington, Vermont
  3. Juneau, Alaska
  4. Fremont, California
  5. Irvine, California, and Scottsdale, Arizona (tie)

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Person exiting an office building at the end of the day.

3. Happiness is working fewer hours

Even for those who like their jobs, work-life balance is key. But it's something that has been a struggle for many people ever since the pandemic forced many to blur the lines between work and home.

Regardless of whether they are back in the office, still working from home, or have a hybrid setup, the people living in these cities are working less -- and they're happier for it:

  1. Burlington, Vermont
  2. Tallahassee, Florida
  3. Bridgeport, Connecticut
  4. Missoula, Montana
  5. New Haven, Connecticut, and Huntington, West Virginia (tie)

ALSO READ: Thinking of Changing Careers? Here's Who's Hiring Now

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Person smiling while looking out an apartment window at a city skyline.

4. Happiness is good mental health

Mental health is an issue at the forefront of society. Many adults are affected by depression, but the numbers tripled during the early months of the pandemic. Researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health found that nearly one in three adults were affected by depression by the second year of the pandemic.

With those sobering numbers, it's clear that mental health issues affect people no matter where they live. However, WalletHub's survey found that these are the top five cities where depression rates are at their lowest:

  1. Pearl City, Hawaii
  2. Fremont, California
  3. Honolulu, Hawaii
  4. San Jose, California
  5. Irvine, California

ALSO READ: Investing in Healthcare Stocks

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A person peers over fanned-out $100 bills they are holding.

5. Happiness is having more income

To be clear, money isn't a surefire way to happiness. But having more of it certainly allows people to live comfortably and do more of the things that make them happy. These are the top five cities where employees have the highest income growth:

  1. San Francisco, California
  2. Seattle, Washington
  3. Oakland, California
  4. Denver, Colorado
  5. Portland, Maine

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A group of smiling friends take a selfie in Los Angeles' Chinatown.

Home is where the happiness is

A happy life looks different for everyone. But it can be influenced by emotional and physical health, financial well-being, job satisfaction, and connection to the community.

If your current location enhances all these elements in your life, you're in your happy place.

The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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