Study names the happiest city in America — and it’s in California

If happiness is such a subjective, complex concept, how do you measure it?

“For decades, researchers have investigated The science of happiness and mental well-being has identified many key factors, including physical health, strong social connections, job satisfaction and financial stability, WalletHub wrote in a March 10 newsletter.

But the company noted that income “has limits,” with research showing that earning more than $75,000 a year does not necessarily equate to greater happiness.

“So when deciding where to live to maximize your happiness, you’ll want to choose a city that offers more than a reasonable median income,” WalletHub Analyst Chip Lupo said in the statement. “The ideal city provides conditions that support good mental and physical health, such as reasonable working hours, short commutes, pleasant weather and caring neighbors.”

WalletHub’s new report, America’s Happiest Cities, analyzed 182 cities using a variety of metrics to determine the nation’s happiest cities, with Northern California at the top of the list.

WalletHub’s methodology

WalletHub said it analyzed 182 of America’s largest cities “using insights from positive psychology research” to determine where Americans are happiest.

The company then said it looks at cities along three dimensions: emotional and physical well-being; income and employment; and community and environment.

“Each city was evaluated on 29 key happiness indicators, including depression rates, income growth and average daily free time,” the personal finance company said.

Each of these metrics was then rated on a 100-point scale, with “100” representing maximum happiness, according to the company.

WalletHub then took a weighted average of all the metrics to get a city’s happiness score.

Bay Area city ‘happiest’ in country, report says

Fremont topped WalletHub’s list as the happiest city in America with an overall score of 74.09.

“One contributing factor to this is that the city has the highest share of households with incomes over $75,000, at nearly 80%,” WalletHub said.

Fremont residents also have the highest life satisfaction rate, the company said, noting that the city ranks seventh lowest for depression and fifth highest for life expectancy.

“Another contributing factor to Fremont’s happiness is that it has the lowest separation and divorce rate in the country at only 9.3%,” WalletHub said.

Fremont residents are also taking care of themselves on a psychological level, with “the lowest rate among adults reporting 14 or more mentally unhealthy days per month,” the financial firm said.

“Finally, Fremont ranks fifth among America’s most compassionate cities, and when people care for each other, they increase each other’s happiness,” WalletHub said.

But happiness has a high price: Cost of living is 64% higher in Fremont That’s above the national average, according to Payscale. Housing costs are 126% higher than the national average.

Median home value in the San Francisco Bay Area According to Zillow, the community is worth $1,477,693.

WalletHub also identified Fremont as the happiest city to live in 2025 and The community was named in May as the best place to raise a family.

The city ranks top for raising families “largely due to economic factors,” the company said.

According to WalletHub, “The city has one of the highest median family incomes, close to $130,000, when the cost of living is taken into account, and has the third lowest share of families living in poverty, as well as the third lowest share receiving food stamps.”

What other California cities made the list?

The 29 California cities and their overall scores on WalletHub’s list of the happiest cities in the USA are as follows:

• San Francisco (#17): 64.99

• Huntington Beach (#25): 62.80

• Santa Clarita (#40): 60.28

• Garden Grove (#48): 59.73

• Rancho Cucamonga (#49): 59.69

• Moreno Valley (#107): 52.33

• San Bernardino (#139): 47.72

• Bakersfield (#152): 46.44

This article first appeared in the Palm Springs Desert Sun: The happiest city in America is Fremont, California, according to new research.