Fremont, California has been named the happiest city in America according to a study by WalletHub, with factors such as high household income, low separation and divorce rates, and good mental health contributing to its ranking. The study examined 29 key indicators of happiness and found that several other California cities, including San Jose, Irvine, San Francisco, and Huntington Beach, also made the top 20 list.
A recent report by WalletHub ranked the "most and least stressed" states in America based on various metrics. Minnesota emerged as the least stressed state, with residents experiencing the least amount of money- and family-related stress. Utah and New Hampshire followed closely behind, with Utah having the fewest average hours worked per week and New Hampshire boasting the lowest percentage of adults in fair/poor health. The study provides insights into the factors that contribute to stress levels across different states in the US.
Aurora, a Chicago suburb, has climbed the ranks in Wallethub's list of safest cities in the U.S., moving from No. 37 last year to No. 25 this year. Only two other Midwest cities ranked higher than Aurora, with Madison, Wisconsin, at No. 22 and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at No. 23. The ranking considered various indicators of safety, including home and community safety, natural-disaster risk, and financial safety. Chicago itself ranked at No. 140 on the list.
St. Louis has been named the least safe city in America by WalletHub, based on a study comparing 182 cities across dimensions such as home & community safety, natural-disaster risk, and financial safety. St. Louis ranked 182nd with a score of 44.88, performing poorly in home & community safety and financial safety. However, the city had the most law enforcement employees per capita and ranked third fewest in hate crimes per capita. Despite this ranking, St. Louis has seen a decrease in homicides compared to the previous year.
New York City has been excluded from the top 10 list of America's best "foodie" cities, according to a new ranking by WalletHub. Orlando, Florida took the top spot, followed by Portland, Sacramento, Miami, and San Francisco. New York landed at number 20, with cities like Tampa, San Diego, Las Vegas, Austin, and Seattle ranking higher. Other northeastern cities like Boston, Providence, and New Haven also made the list, while Jersey City, Newark, and Yonkers ranked lower. The last spot went to Pearl City in Hawaii.
California has ranked 7th in a new report by WalletHub that evaluated the "happiness" of states across the U.S. The study considered factors such as depression rate, productivity, income growth, and unemployment rate. The top three categories assessed were emotional and physical well-being, work environment, and community and environment. Utah claimed the top spot as the "happiest" state, while West Virginia ranked as the least happy. Experts suggest that factors like money, negative emotions, stressors, and environmental conditions can influence one's perception of happiness, but connecting to a healthy community and engaging in stress-relieving activities can significantly improve overall happiness.
Santa Rosa has been ranked as one of the worst cities in the United States for first-time homebuyers, according to a report by WalletHub. Ranking 207 out of 300 cities, Santa Rosa scored poorly in the affordability category but fared better in terms of quality of life. Florida cities dominated the list of best cities for first-time homebuyers, while California cities, including Santa Rosa, ranked among the worst.
Ohio has been ranked as the 31st least patriotic state in the U.S. according to WalletHub's 2023 Most Patriotic States in America ranking. The state received a score of 38.65, a decrease from last year's score of 40.51. The ranking was based on indicators such as the number of military enlistees, veterans per 1,000 adults, and the share of adults who voted in the 2020 presidential election. Virginia was named the most patriotic state, while Arkansas was ranked the least patriotic state for the second year in a row.
WalletHub's annual analysis of the "Most Affordable Cities for Home Buyers" ranks Atlanta as the 15th most affordable among big U.S. cities, with a population of over 300,000. The study compared 300 U.S. cities across 10 key metrics, including the cost of homes, tax rates, and median home-price appreciation. The country's median home sales price has ballooned from $313,000 in early 2019 to nearly $437,000 in the first quarter of 2023, with interest rates climbing from a historic low of 2.65 percent in early 2021 to 6.39 percent this month for average, 30-year fixed mortgages.
A new study by WalletHub ranks California as the best state to be a police officer, followed by Washington D.C, Connecticut, Maryland, and Illinois. Surprisingly, states known for "Defund the Police" movements, such as California and New York, ranked high on the list. The study considered factors such as salary, training requirements, and job hazards and protections. However, the effect of "Defund the Police" on morale and retention rates was not discussed. States with high rankings have had a hard time retaining police officers, with an 18% increase in resignations and a 45% increase in retirement rates.
Delta Air Lines has been named the best airline of 2023 by personal finance company WalletHub, which compared the nine largest US airlines and two regional carriers. Delta was found to be the most reliable airline, with the lowest rate of cancellations, delays, mishandled luggage and denied boardings. WalletHub looked at 14 different metrics, including in-flight comfort and costs, to come up with its list of airlines from best to worst. JetBlue was picked as the most comfortable airline, while Spirit was listed as the most affordable.
San Diego and North County’s Carlsbad are among the top 15 cities in the US experiencing the most inflation, according to a study by personal-finance website WalletHub. The study compared 22 major Metropolitan Statistical Areas across two key metrics related to the Consumer Price Index, which measures inflation. The year-over-year inflation rate was 5% in March, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
A new report from WalletHub shows that taxpayers in some states carry a far heavier burden than others, with residents of states with the highest taxes forking over double their share of annual income as those in the lowest taxed ones. Researchers calculated residents' tax burden by adding up three types of tax types: property taxes, individual income taxes, and sales and excise taxes. Alaska has the lowest overall tax burden at 5.06%, while New York has the highest at 12.47%.
WalletHub's report ranked Fremont, a city in the San Francisco Bay Area, as the 'happiest' city in America based on 30 happiness-related data metrics. California dominated the list with San Jose, San Francisco, Irvine, Oakland, Huntington Beach, and San Diego also making the top 20. The report draws on psychological research findings that indicate a correlation between happiness and where you live. However, living in Fremont could be costly as the median home price in the area is over $1.2 million.
