The City of Santa Clarita is again listed as one of the “happiest” cities in the country.
A new report from WalletHub says it has determined the “happiest” cities in the country, based on factors including job security, depression rates and the frequency of divorce, among dozens of other criteria thought to affect the overall satisfaction of a U.S. resident. Santa Clarita also made the list in 2020.
The results also come at a curious time, when more Americans may still be struggling with excess stress, according to an October 2021 study by the American Psychological Association cited by WalletHub.
“Pandemic stress is contributing to widespread mental exhaustion, negative health impacts and unhealthy behavior changes — a pattern that will become increasingly challenging to correct the longer it persists,” said APA’s CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr., Ph.D., at the time the study was published.
That said, the location of your home might not matter much in the way of happiness. As noted by consultants working with WalletHub itself, some folks may never be happy in one of America’s “happiest” cities, no matter how high it ranks. For instance, a nature-lover will never be as fulfilled in a bigger city, and vice versa.
Overall, however, WalletHub’s study suggests that certain cities may offer a better chance to beat the blues.
California, the nation’s most-populous state, dominated the list with 15 cities, including four of the top five. Three Bay Cities were in the first four, including Fremont, which topped the list.
Three Southern California cities ranked in the top 10, with Irvine coming in the highest at No. 5. Another Orange County city, Huntington Beach, was listed at No. 9. Santa Clarita came in at No. 15
And the city of Anaheim — home to Disneyland, the “Happiest Place on Earth” — also made the list, ranking at No. 20.
