Not all sunshine comes from the weather. Fremont, a largely suburban city nestled in Northern California’s Bay Area, has once again claimed the top spot on WalletHub’s annual ranking of the happiest cities in America, dethroning bigger, flashier metros for the second consecutive year. The study analyzed more than 180 of the largest U.S. cities across 29 indicators of happiness including mental well-being, physical health, social ties, job satisfaction, and financial stability. Fremont rose above them all. A standout stat: a whopping 80% of Fremont households earn above $75,000 per year, a figure that researchers say hits the income sweet spot for happiness. “Studies have shown that increasing your income up to $75,000 also increases your happiness, but making more than that does not,” said WalletHub financial writer Adam McCann.
The numbers behind Fremont’s joy are remarkable. The city holds the highest rate of life satisfaction in the country, the seventh-lowest rate of depression, and the fifth-highest average life expectancy in the U.S. It also boasts the lowest separation and divorce rate in the nation at just 9.3%, and the lowest share of adults reporting 14 or more mentally unhealthy days per month. Fremont ranks fifth among the most “caring” cities and researchers note that community care is a major happiness multiplier. Three other California cities cracked the top 20: Irvine at eighth, San Jose at tenth, and one more in the mix. California as a state came in seventh overall, while Hawaii topped the statewide rankings. If you’ve been wondering where the good life looks like on a map, Fremont is putting a gold star on the Bay Area.
Source: https://www.themirror.com/news/us-news/california-city-tops-happiest-cities-1730388
