Washington, D.C
'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.