This California city is the ‘happiest’ place in America, study says

While money can’t buy happiness, a move to this California city may boost your serotonin levels.

A February report from WalletHub ranked Fremont, a city in Northern California, as the ‘happiest’ city in America.

Researchers analyzed 30 happiness-related data metrics which were grouped into three categories: emotional and physical well-being, income and employment, and community and environment. A total of 182 U.S. cities were given scores on a 100-point scale.

Fremont had an overall score of 76.10. San Jose, San Francisco, Irvine, Oakland, Huntington Beach, and San Diego also made the top 20.

Los Angeles was ranked 76th.

While the U.S. only ranks 16^th on the World Happiness Report, the study from Wallet Hub suggests that some American cities still provide residents with a very positive quality of life.

The report also draws on the psychological research findings that indicate a correlation between happiness and where you live; however, that’s not the complete story.

“Where you live makes a difference, to be sure, although where you live probably is not as big a factor as personal and family influences on any one person’s happiness.” Dr. Sherry Hamby, distinguished research professor of psychology at the University of the South, said in a statement.

“Places with more resources–whether these are natural resources like beaches and mountains, cultural resources like museums and theaters, or essential resources like health care and transportation–tend to have happier people than other places.”

California cities that made the list:

1st. Fremont. 76.10 points

2^nd: San Jose: 70.35 points

5^th: San Francisco: 68.73 points

6^th: Irvine: 67.83 points

13^th: Oakland: 64.08 points

14^th: Huntington Beach: 64.04 points

15^th: San Diego: 63.98 points

23^rd: Anaheim: 62.09 points

24^th: Garden Grove: 62.01 points

25^th: Chula Vista: 61.90 points

26^th: Santa Rosa: 61.52 points

27^th: Glendale: 61.29 points

28^th: Oxnard: 61.12 points

31^st: Santa Clarita: 60.51 points

36^th: Oceanside: 60.23 points

42^nd: Sacramento: 59.51 points

44^th: Santa Ana: 59.34 points

65^th: Rancho Cucamonga: 57.45 points

76^th: Los Angeles: 56.02 points

79^th: Long Beach: 55.46 points

83^rd: Ontario: 54.97 points

87^th: Moreno Valley: 54.79 points

89^th: Riverside: 54.60 points

92^nd: Fontana: 54.27 points

117^th: Modesto: 50.40 points

119^th: Stockton: 50.18 points

126^th: Fresno: 49.14 points

132^nd: San Bernardino: 48.25 points

135^th: Bakersfield: 47.58 points

For Californians thinking about moving to the ‘happiest’ city in America, it could be a costly endeavor since the median home price in the Fremont area is over $1.2 million, according to Redfin.

The report also draws on the psychological research findings that indicate a correlation between happiness and where you live.