10 Happiest Cities In The US: California Cities Top The List

Two California cities were dubbed the happiest cities in America this year.

For the rankings released Tuesday, WalletHub compared more than 180 of the largest cities in the U.S. based on 30 key indicators of happiness, including depression rate, income-growth rate, and average leisure time spent per day, among others.

The personal finance website said it "drew upon the various findings of positive-psychology research" to find out which of the cities "is home to the happiest people in America."

For this year, the northern California city of Fremont topped WalletHub's list of America's happiest cities.

Read on to find out which cities made it to the top 10 of WalletHub's "2023 Happiest Cities in America" rankings.

1. Fremont, California

Fremont topped the list with a total happiness score of 76.10. The city ranked first in terms of emotional and physical well-being, with its depression rate being the lowest among more than 180 cities. Fremont also ranked first in the community and environment category, with its separation and divorce rate also being the lowest in all cities.

While the city only ranked 34th in the income and employment category, the disposition of its residents more than makes up for it.

2. San Jose, California

Second place went to another California city, San Jose, which has a total happiness score of 70.35. It followed Fremont in the emotional and physical well-being category, ranking second overall.

The city has the fourth-lowest depression rate and the fifth-lowest separation and divorce rate, according to WalletHub. It also ranked third in terms of income and employment.

3. Madison, Wisconsin

Third on the list is Madison, Wisconsin, which has a total happiness score of 69.72, per WalletHub. The city ranked fifth in the emotional and physical well-being category, with it being the second-highest city in terms of adequate sleep rate. Madison also ranked eighth in the community and environment category.

4. Overland Park, Kansas

Following Madison is Overland Park, Kansas, which ranked sixth in both the emotional and physical well-being and the community and environment categories. The city, however, ranked 87th for income and employment. Overland Park has the third-highest sports participation rate, which upped its ranking for the well-being category.

5. San Francisco, California

Coming in fifth is San Francisco, California, with a happiness score of 68.73. The city ranked fourth for emotional and physical well-being, eighth for income and employment and 69th for community and environment. The city has the second-highest income growth overall, according to Wallethub.

6. Irvine, California

Continuing the list is Irvine, California, with a happiness score of 67.83. It ranked eighth in terms of emotional and physical well-being, 40th in income and employment and 18th in community and environment. The city has the fifth-lowest depression rate and the second-lowest separation and divorce rate in over 180 cities, according to the website.

7. Columbia, Maryland

Ranking seventh is Columbia, Maryland, with a happiness score of 67.71. The city ranked third for emotional and physical well-being but ranked quite low for income and employment at 176th. It has the fourth-lowest suicide rate, per WalletHub.

8. Sioux Falls, South Dakota

No. 8 on the list is Sioux Falls, South Dakota's largest city, with a happiness score of 67.02. The city ranked 10th overall in terms of emotional and physical well-being, 21st for community and environment and 72nd for income and employment.

9. South Burlington, Vermont

Coming in ninth is South Burlington, Vermont, with a happiness score of 66.51. The city ranked 11th in terms of emotional and physical well-being, 25th in income and employment and 47th in community and environment. The city has the highest adequate-sleep rate out of over 180, according to the website. South Burlington also has the highest sports participation rate among all cities.

10. Burlington, Vermont

South Burlington's neighbor Burlington came in 10th with a happiness score of 65.83. The city ranked first in terms of income and employment, 11th in community and environment and 28th in emotional and physical well-being.

Burlington ranked fourth in terms of adequate-sleep rate and had the fewest work hours out of all the cities ranked.

"Places with more resources--whether these are natural resources like beaches and mountains, cultural resources like museums and theaters, or essential resources like health care and transportation--tend to have happier people than other places," Sherry Hamby, a distinguished research professor of psychology at the University of the South, told WalletHub.

Equality in the city's economic situation might also be the key to the city's happiness rate, according to experts.

"One factor in making a location related to increased happiness is the economy of the area," Dev Dalal, an associate professor of psychology at the University at Albany, told WalletHub. "The more equality there is among the residents, the happier the residents tend to be."

"One billionaire surrounded by thousands in poverty is not going to be a happy place," Hamby said.