The 50 happiest cities in America, ranked
- A recent study released by WalletHub ranks the top 182 happiest cities in the United States. We took a look at the top 50.
- The top three include Madison, Wisconsin; Irvine, California; and Plano, Texas.
- Aside from North Carolina and Florida, the top 50 happiest cities are located mainly in the midwest or on the west coast.
- The majority were found in California and Texas, with 14 and eight cities respectively.
In a recent study released by Wallethub, researchers found the happiest people live in Texas, about 20 miles outside of Dallas.
On a list of cities ranked by three main categories — emotional & physical well-being, income & employment, and community & environment — Texas accounted for eight of the top 50. Other notable mentions include locations in Arizona, Hawaii, and many across the midwest. California swept the ranking, totaling 14 cities in the top 50. The Golden State performed similarly in last year's report, and even clinched the No. 1 spot.
Read more: The 30 happiest cities in the US, ranked
To complete the report, WalletHub compared 182 of the nation's largest cities and evaluated them on the three main categories mentioned above. These categories were evaluated using weighted metrics — ranging from adequate-sleep rate to hate crime incidents per capita — and then graded on a 100-point scale. These weighted averages were then used to calculate final scores before ordering cities from least to greatest.
50 (TIE). Arlington, Texas
Total score: 61.73
Arlington is about 20 miles west of Dallas. The city is home to the University of Texas at Arlington. The median age of residents is 32.3 and as of 2017, the average home price was $213,888.
Source: Arlington, Texas
50 (TIE). El Paso, Texas
Total score: 61.73
El Paso is located near the Franklin Mountains, and surrounding areas include four Texas State Parks. The city borders Mexico on the Rio Grande, along with the state of New Mexico. As the westernmost point in Texas, it is over 500 miles from both San Antonio and Austin.
Source: El Paso, Texas, Google Maps
48. Aurora, Colorado
Total score: 61.83
Located nine miles from the capital city Denver, Aurora is Colorado's third-largest city. It is situated across three counties, and is listed as one of the safest large cities in America.
Source: Aurora, Colorado, Google Maps
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