18 happiest US cities

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New York City has been named the happiest city in the U.S., ranking No. 17 on the Institute for Quality of Life’s 2025 Happy City Index.

Seventeen other U.S. cities were also recognized in the index, now in its sixth edition. The organization ranked 200 cities globally and placed them into gold, silver and bronze categories based on 26 criteria across six themes: citizens, governance, environment, economy, health and mobility. 

The ranking incorporates data on health coverage, education, housing, access to culture, green space availability, unemployment, public transportation and safety, as well as resident interviews.

Learn more about the methodology here.

Below are the 18 U.S. cities included on the list and their global rankings:

17. New York City

30. Minneapolis

34. San Diego

43. Washington, D.C.

56. Salt Lake City

63. Columbus, Ohio

70. Los Angeles

80. Seattle

84. Baltimore

89. San Antonio

96. Nashville, Tenn.

112. Indianapolis

119. San Jose, Calif.

131. Boston

141. Portland, Ore.

176. Orlando, Fla.

181. Phoenix

198. Houston

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