Most of the time we all probably agree that Florida is a fairly happy place to live. Our weather is always nice, except for the rainy days during the summer, we have plenty to get outside and do to keep us active and we can’t complain about the local restaurants and bars that keep us full. We will forget about the horrible traffic and the snowbirds taking all of the doctors appointments, tee times and dinner reservations, for now. Where we live definitely plays a part in our every day happiness in Florida. So, it’s no surprise to see Florida’s Happiest Cities on this list.
The crew over at WalletHub did a study to find out where the happiest places are in Florida, and across the US.
“Location plays a hand in how bright or gloomy our days are. For years, researchers have studied the science of happiness and found that its key ingredients include a positive mental state, healthy body, strong social connections, job satisfaction, and financial well-being. However, money can only make you so happy – people who make $75,000 a year won’t get any higher satisfaction from more money. Consider also the fact that while the U.S. is one of the richest countries, it ranks only 14th on the World Happiness Report.”
So how does life here in Florida stack up? WalletHub ranked the top 182 metro cities in the country on things like Emotional & Physical Well Being, Income & Employment, and Community & Environment.
These are the happiest cities in Florida, along with the 25 happiest cities in the country (California is a pretty happy place):
39. Pembroke Pines, FL
Pembroke Pines comes in at #39 mainly due to their high ranking in Community & Environment – again with the weather and beaches.
- Emotional & Physical Well Being: 51
- Income & Employment: 125
- Community & Environment: 15
63. Cape Coral, FL
- Emotional & Physical Well Being: 89
- Income & Employment: 45
- Community & Environment: 9
66. Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Emotional & Physical Well Being: 67
- Income & Employment: 84
- Community & Environment: 62
75. Miami, FL
- Emotional & Physical Well Being: 56
- Income & Employment: 52
- Community & Environment: 142
80. Tampa, FL
- Emotional & Physical Well Being: 94
- Income & Employment: 38
- Community & Environment: 60
86. Port St. Lucie, FL
- Emotional & Physical Well Being: 115
- Income & Employment: 65
- Community & Environment: 14
91. Orlando, FL
- Emotional & Physical Well Being: 96
- Income & Employment: 19
- Community & Environment: 108
94. Hialeah, FL
- Emotional & Physical Well Being: 66
- Income & Employment: 157
- Community & Environment: 110
95. Tallahassee, FL
- Emotional & Physical Well Being: 130
- Income & Employment: 8
- Community & Environment: 145
100. St. Petersburg, FL
- Emotional & Physical Well Being: 100
- Income & Employment: 135
- Community & Environment: 134
