Washington, D.C

'Happiest Cities In America' Ranking Includes 5 VA Cities, DC

Published

2 years ago

March 1, 2024

'Happiest Cities In America' Ranking Includes 5 VA Cities, DC

VIRGINIA — Five Virginia cities and Washington, D.C., have been ranked by the personal-finance website WalletHub among the Happiest Cities in America, with two cities placing among the top 50.

The highest-ranking city, Chesapeake, ranked No. 40 on the list, while Virginia Beach was No. 42, and Washington, D.C., ranked No. 50, and Newport News was No. 113 overall out of 182 rankings.

Here are how DC and the Virginia cities scored on key factors:

Chesapeake was 61st for emotional and physical well-being; 103rd for income and employment; and 12th for community and environment.

Virginia Beach was 44th for emotional and physical well-being; 106th for income and employment; and 44th for community and environment.

Washington, D.C., was 18th for emotional and physical well-being; 117th for income and employment; and 144th for community and environment.

Newport News was No. 113 overall: It scored 102nd for emotional and physical well-being; 153rd for income and employment; and 114th for community and environment.

Norfolk was No. 131 overall: It scored 129th for emotional and physical well-being; 125th for income and employment; and 127th for community and environment.

Richmond was No. 137 overall: It scored 120th for emotional and physical well-being; 159th for income and employment; and 157th for community and environment.

WalletHub compared 182 of the largest U.S. cities to determine which is home to the happiest people in America. The outlet examined each city based on 29 key indicators of happiness, ranging from income-growth rate to depression rate and average leisure time spent per day.

The top 10 communities on the 2024’s Happiest Cities in America for best mental and physical well being are:

Fremont, CA
Overland Park, KS
San Jose, CA
Madison, WI
Irvine, CA
Honolulu, HI
San Francisco, CA
Pearl City, HI
Columbia, MD
Scottsdale, AZ

Location plays a hand in happiness, along with overall physical and mental health, strong social connections, job satisfaction and financial well-being, the folks at WalletHub said. But people who earn $75,000 a year won’t get any higher satisfaction from more money. And the U.S. is one of the richest countries, but it ranks 15th on the World Happiness Report.

Columbia ranked higher in these metrics:

5th – Emotional & Physical Well-Being
170th – Income & Employment
60th – Community & Environment

“This continued recognition speaks to our ongoing efforts to ensure we are offering all our residents the best the quality of life. People want to live, work, play and grow here because of our quality schools, flourishing hub of arts and culture, recreational activities and green space, robust businesses and the strong sense of community. As we continue to build a diverse and inclusive community, Columbia and Howard County as a whole, continue to thrive,” said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball.

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Washington, D.C

Walk for peace that stopped in Mississippi arrives in Washington DC

Published

5 hours ago

February 10, 2026

Press Room

Walk for peace that stopped in Mississippi arrives in Washington DC

Jasper Ward
| Reuters

Draped in burnt-orange robes, two dozen Buddhist monks arrived in Washington D.C. on Tuesday on a 2,300-mile “Walk for Peace”, a self-described spiritual journey across nine states that has been cheered on by crowds of thousands.

“I feel like in our country and in our world right now that you have to show your support for peace in every possible way you can,” said Bob Anderson, 74, of Gloucester County, Virginia, during a stop by the monks in Richmond on February 3. “And so this is a great way to do so. That’s why I’m here.”

The monks began their walk in Texas more than three months ago, at times braving frigid winter temperatures, sometimes with bare feet, to raise “awareness of peace, loving kindness, and compassion across America and the world.”

The marchers continued on despite a powerful winter storm that spread a paralyzing mix of heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain from the Ohio Valley and mid-South to New England, compounded by bitter, Arctic cold gripping much of the U.S.

Accompanied by Aloka, a rescue dog, their journey comes amid growing tension in the United States, partly spurred by President Donald Trump’s tough immigration policy that has seen National Guard troops deployed in some U.S. cities, with both American citizens and immigrants killed by federal agents.

“We walk not to protest, but to awaken the peace that already lives within each of us,” said Bhikkhu Pannakara, spiritual leader of the Walk for Peace. “The Walk for Peace is a simple yet meaningful reminder that unity and kindness begin within each of us and can radiate outward to families, communities, and society as a whole.”

They will spend Tuesday and Wednesday in Washington and end their journey in nearby Annapolis, Maryland on Thursday.

Support and flowers

The walk has garnered support from millions of people on social media, with many sharing messages of support for the monks. Supporters have braved snow and rain to meet and offer flowers to the monks as they passed through their cities.

During their stop in North Carolina, the state’s governor, Josh Stein, thanked the monks for bringing hope to millions with their message of peace, equality, justice and compassion.

“You are inspiring people at a time when so many are in need of inspiration,” Stein said.

The Walk for Peace has made stops in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. The monks are expected to meet with spiritual, city and other leaders when they arrive in Washington, where they will visit the National Cathedral and host a meditation retreat.

Although the walk has been positive, it has not been without obstacles. While walking through Dayton, Texas, a truck struck the monks’ escort vehicle, injuring several people, according to local media. Two monks sustained serious injuries and one had his leg amputated.

Despite the accident, the group continued to trek across the U.S. to honor not only their original message of peace but also their brothers.

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Washington, D.C

Idaho robotics team gears up for national competition in Washington D.C.

Published

17 hours ago

February 10, 2026

Press Room

Idaho robotics team gears up for national competition in Washington D.C.

The Project Impact STEM Academy robotics team, known as The Quackens, is set to represent Idaho on a national stage in Washington, D.C. The team has been selected by Gov. Brad Little to compete in the United States Governors Cup, a prestigious event that brings together elite robotics teams from all 50 states.

Team captain and programmer Kaia Peterson explained the competition’s unique challenges: “We have a playing field that we have to complete different tasks on so this year we have to shoot balls into a goal and our goal is to pick up they look like wiffle balls, there’s purple ones and there’s green ones and we call them artifacts and your goal is to pick up artifacts and shoot them into the goals. And once you shoot them into the goals they roll down into these ramps that are called classifiers and if you put the artifacts in the classifiers in a certain order, you get a motif you get pattern points, for having them in a certain order so you wanna score them in the goal but you also want to get them in the certain pattern.”

The competition will test not only their engineering skills but also their teamwork, problem-solving, and ability to strategize with alliance partners. “One of the reasons we go and talk to other teams is so we can be one of their choices for an alliance because you really wanna talk and develop those connections with teams cause you’re going to have a higher chance to be in the finals, that and having a good robot,” Peterson said.

Being chosen to represent Idaho is an honor the students are taking seriously. “Even now as we’re preparing to go to D.C we’re trying to make as many changes as we can to be better than we were at state when we go to D.C.,” Peterson added.

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However, the trip comes with significant costs, including travel, accommodations, and competition fees. The Quackens have launched a GoFundMe campaign and are only $500 away from reaching their goal to make their dream a reality. Those interested in supporting Idaho’s best and brightest can donate through their GoFundMe campaign.

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