New study reveals happiest cities in America, and they aren't where you'd expect

Americans searching for a happier spot to unrecorded whitethorn privation to look beyond the country’s biggest and astir well-known cities.

A caller WalletHub survey analyzing much than 180 of the largest U.S. cities recovered that wide happiness is driven by much than conscionable income, factoring successful intelligence health, carnal well-being and assemblage environment.

Instead of large hubs similar New York oregon Los Angeles topping the list, smaller and mid-sized cities dominated the rankings.

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Fremont, California, ranked arsenic the happiest metropolis successful America. It was followed by Bismarck, North Dakota, Scottsdale, Arizona, South Burlington, Vermont and Fargo, North Dakota.

Fremont, California, has been named the happiest metropolis successful the United States. (iStock)

Rounding retired the apical 10 were Overland Park, Kansas, Charleston, South Carolina, Irvine, California, Gilbert, Arizona and San Jose, California.

Higher salaries successful ample metro areas don’t needfully pb to greater happiness, the results suggest. Instead, prime of beingness appears to play a larger role.

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"Research shows that having much wealth lone increases your happiness until you’re making astatine slightest $75,000 per twelvemonth — thing much you gain apt won’t person an impact," WalletHub expert Chip Lupo said successful a statement.

"Therefore, erstwhile deciding wherever to unrecorded to maximize your happiness, you’ll privation to prime a metropolis that offers much than conscionable a decent mean income," helium added.

Charleston, South Carolina, placed successful the apical 10 for happiest cities successful the U.S. (iStock)

Cities that ranked highest tended to execute good successful areas specified arsenic affectional and carnal well-being, occupation restitution and beardown assemblage ties.

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Fremont stood retired successful particular, ranking archetypal successful affectional and carnal well-being and 4th successful assemblage environment.

The metropolis besides has 1 of the lowest separation and divorcement rates successful the country, on with a debased slump complaint and precocious beingness expectancy, the survey noted.

Cities astatine the apical of the database tended to basal retired for well-being, occupation fulfillment and close-knit communities. (iStock)

Nearly 80% of Fremont households gain much than $75,000 annually, a cardinal benchmark tied to happiness levels, according to the report.

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Fremont besides ranks 5th among the astir caring cities successful America, WalletHub noted.

Together, those factors item what separates the happiest cities from the rest.

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"The perfect metropolis provides conditions that foster bully intelligence and carnal health, similar tenable enactment hours, abbreviated commutes, bully upwind and caring neighbors," Lupo said.