Many Americans in search of a better quality of life have been looking for new locations to call home. When it comes to where you live, happiness is key.
London-based research firm Institute for Quality of Life just released its annual Happy City Index that ranks the general happiness levels of residents in cities around the world. To do this, it considered five major categories: citizens, governance, economy, environment, and mobility. "Citizens" measured things like the quality of the education system and social inclusion, while "governance" examined political transparency and how involved locals are in decision-making.
"A city of happy people will always mean something different to a five-year-old expecting places to play and the opportunity to build relationships with parents as part of quality time spent together, where a quick return home from the workplace will be crucial. Other expectations would be defined by students, corporate professionals, senior citizens, and every other group of people with specific needs," the Institute explained in a statement.
Related: Study Breaks Down the Cost of Happiness in Every Country
Minneapolis is the only U.S. city to earn a gold medal on the list, making it the highest-ranked city for happiness in the country. In fact, it's only one of two North American cities among the 37 gold-ranked cities, the other being Ottawa, Canada. It's one of two Midwest cities among the U.S.' top 10, the other being Madison, Wisconsin at number seven.
In second place at the top of the silver medal tier is Boston, Massachusetts. Other cities in the northeast among the top 10 U.S. cities include Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in eighth and Rochester, New York in ninth.
Read up on the 10 happiest cities in the country below and consider taking a vacation.
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Washington, D.C.
- San Francisco, California
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- Madison, Wisconsin
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Rochester, New York
- Portland, Oregon
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