A recent study has shown significant disparities in the happiness levels of residents in American cities, with high living costs in New York City not contributing to its ideal ranking on the list. According to the latest “Happiest Cities in America” ranking published by the personal finance website WalletHub, New York City is only ranked 59th out of 182 major cities in the United States, highlighting the challenges the city faces in terms of income pressure and living costs.
The study points out that residents’ happiness is closely related to factors such as income levels, health status, community environment, and lifestyle pace. While New York City offers numerous economic opportunities compared to many small and mid-sized cities, issues like high rent prices and long commutes have to some extent affected residents’ overall satisfaction with their lives.
WalletHub evaluated 182 major cities across the U.S. based on 29 indicators including emotional and physical health, income and employment, and community environment. The results revealed that New York City scored 57.63 overall, ranking 59th. The city ranked 48th in emotional and physical health, 71st in community and environment, and 152nd in income and employment.
The report highlights that New York City’s lower ranking in income and employment happiness is largely due to the excessively high cost of living. According to various real estate statistics, rent prices in New York City have consistently been among the highest nationwide, forcing many residents to allocate a significant portion of their income towards housing.
Additionally, long commutes are a notable feature of life in New York City. Many residents rely on subways, buses, or commuter trains for daily travel to and from work, with commute times generally longer than in most U.S. cities.
However, the report also notes that New York City performs relatively well in certain health indicators, such as having the fifth-lowest suicide rate in the country, indicating that the city still has some advantages in terms of mental health and public resources.
Within the New York metropolitan area, some cities have higher happiness rankings than New York City itself.
Yonkers, located north of New York City, ranks 38th overall and particularly excels in emotional and physical health, ranking 18th in that category.
Jersey City, across the Hudson River, ranks 31st. The city has the lowest rate of depression and the second-lowest suicide rate in the country, highlighting better mental health conditions among its residents.
However, Jersey City still ranks lower in income and employment, indicating the prevalent cost of living pressures in the New York metropolitan area.
In terms of nationwide rankings, California cities stand out, with three of them ranking in the top ten. Fremont, California, has been named the happiest city in America for the second consecutive year.
The top ten happiest cities in America for 2026 according to WalletHub are as follows:
1. Fremont, CA
2. Bismarck, ND
3. Scottsdale, AZ
4. South Burlington, VT
5. Fargo, ND
6. Overland Park, KS
7. Charleston, SC
8. Irvine, CA
9. Gilbert, AZ
10. San Jose, CA