Where are the happiest places to live in the United States and what makes a place happy?
WalletHub’s new 2025 report, Happiest States in America, examined each city based on 29 key indicators for happiness — like a positive mental state, healthy body, strong social connections, job satisfaction and financial well-being. — to determine the happiest places to live in the U.S. And, although the U.S. is one of the richest countries in the world, it ranks only 24th on the World Happiness Report. So the adage, money can't buy you love, must be true.
We’ve listed the top (and bottom) 25 happiest place to live in the U.S. Don’t find your city listed here? Read the full report from WalletHub.
Happiest places to live in the U.S. in 2025
Least happiest places to live in the U.S. in 2025
Top three happiest cities
What makes Fremont, San Jose and Irvine — all located in California — so happy? Here's a quick look.
Fremont, CA — One reason Fremont, CA, takes the top spot is the city has the highest share of households with an income above $75,000 — nearly 80%. People in Fremont also have the highest rate of life satisfaction, the fifth-lowest depression rate, and the fourth-highest average life expectancy in the country. The city also has the lowest separation and divorce rate in the country, at only 8.9%, and the lowest share of adults who report having 14 or more mentally unhealthy days per month. Finally, Fremont also ranks sixth among the most caring cities in America, and when people care for each other, they boost each other’s happiness.
San Jose, CA — San Jose, CA, is the second-happiest city in the U.S. in part because it has the longest average life expectancy in the country, allowing people to enjoy their lives into old age. It also has the fourth-lowest separation and divorce rate. San Jose has one of the best scores on the health and wellness company Sharecare’s Community Well-Being Index. Plus, the city scores extremely well on Sharecare’s Life-Satisfaction Index, which measures people’s health risks based on various physical, financial and social factors.
To top things off, San Jose has the third-highest share of households with an annual income above $75,000, (at over 72%), which is shown to keep residents content.
Irvine, CA — The city of Irvine is the third-happiest city, partly because its residents are healthy. More than 88% of adults in Irvine report having good or better health, the third-highest percentage in the country. In addition, the city has the seventh-highest life expectancy for residents and nearly 84% participate in physical activities. The city has the third-lowest percentage of adults who report having 14 or more mentally unhealthy days per month, and it has the eighth-lowest depression rate.
Finally, 68% of households in the city earn over $75,000 per year, the income level that’s been demonstrated to maximize happiness. In addition, marriages in Irvine last longer than ones in many other cities, as Irvine has the third-lowest separation and divorce rate in the nation.
What determines how happy a city is?
WalletHub also looked at depression rates in cities across the U.S., which can impact the happiness of a city. In first place for the lowest depression rate was Pearl City, HI. Honolulu, HI ranked second and Jersey City, NJ came in third. Cities with the highest depression rate were Huntington, WV and Knoxville, TN.
What role does lack of sleep play in happiness?
Like depression rates, lack of sleep can also lead to unhappiness. Cities with the highest sleep rates are: South Burlington, VT, Burlington, VT and Missoula, MT. On the other hand, the cities with minimal sleep rates include Pearl City, HI, Honolulu, HI and Detroit, MI.
Signs of happiness
Although happiness tends to be such a broadly defined term, most people say the meaning of happiness is how they feel in the present moment or how they feel about life overall. Even so, happiness isn't the same for everyone, but there are certain similarities that always stand out.
- Feeling like you are living the life you want
- Feeling that the conditions of your life are good
- A willingness to take life as it comes
- Feeling that you have accomplished all you want in life
- Being open to new ideas and experiences
- Practicing self-care
- Wanting to share your happiness and joy with others
“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, says Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst. "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.”
