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Related: 15 Happiest Cities in America: 2022

Economic difficulties, such as high inflation, have made it hard for many Americans to feel happy this year. Family and friends, work, entertainment and other activities can boost people’s happiness.

So can the places in which they live, according to a report by WalletHub, a personal finance website: “Location plays a hand in how bright or gloomy our days are.”

WalletHub noted that research has shown that the key components of happiness include a positive mental state, healthy body, strong social connections, job satisfaction and financial well-being — although achieving a high income will not improve one’s emotional well-being.

Not everywhere in the United States provides a uniform level of happiness, according to the report, which drew upon findings of positive-psychology research to determine which big U.S. city is home to the happiest people. 

WalletHub compared 182 of the largest cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across these key dimensions: 

  • Emotional and physical well-being (50 points), including physical health, the share of adults rating their mental health and the percentage of residents who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19
  • Income and employment (25 points), including income-growth rate, unemployment and underemployment rates and bankruptcy rate
  • Community and environment (25 points), WalletHub’s “Most Caring Cities” ranking, separation and divorce rate and average leisure time spent per day

Researchers evaluated these categories using 30 relevant metrics and graded them on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing maximum happiness. 

See the accompanying gallery for the 12 happiest U.S. cities, according to WalletHub.