CLEVELAND — Residents in Cleveland are largely still struggling to find happiness, according to a recent survey from WalletHub.
This week, WalletHub released its report on 2024’s Happiest Cities in America, comparing more than 180 of the largest cities in the U.S. across 29 key indicators of happiness. The data set ranges from depression rate, to income-growth rate, to average leisure time spent per day.
Of the 182 cities surveyed, Cleveland was found to rank No. 181 on the list of the happiest cities in America. Only Detroit finished lower in the survey. Last year, Cleveland finished No. 179 on the list.
A closer examination of the numbers shows how Cleveland ranked in several key categories:
- No. 161 in Income & Employment
- No. 172 in Emotional & Physical Well-Being
- No. 181 in Lowest Adequate Sleep Rate
- No. 181 in Highest Divorce & Separation Rate
- No. 182 in Community & Environment (worst in nation)
Here are 2024's Top 10 Happiest Cities in America
- Fremont, CA
- Overland Park, KS
- San Jose, CA
- Madison, WI
- Irvine, CA
- Honolulu, HI
- San Francisco, CA
- Pearl City, HI
- Columbia, MD
- Scottsdale, AZ
Here is how the rest of Ohio's cities ranked:
- Columbus - No. 135
- Cincinnati - No. 146
- Akron - No. 173
- Toledo - No. 176
Just a personal note to add to this story: When we write pieces like this, it's not with the intention of beating up our city or our region. But I do believe studies and surveys from WalletHub and similar agencies are important to help us gauge where we are and where we need to go. My friend Mike Polk Jr. had a great take on this that you can watch below.