New WalletHub study puts Cleveland near bottom of 'Happiest Cities in America' list

CLEVELAND — The struggle to find happiness can be overwhelming for all of us, especially this time of year. And even though we've had a mild winter in Cleveland, a new study shows we can't quite escape the gloom.

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On Tuesday, WalletHub released its report on 2023’s Happiest Cities in America, comparing more than 180 of the largest cities in the U.S. across 30 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. 179 on the list of the happiest cities in America. Only Detroit, Huntington, West Virginia, and Shreveport, Louisiana, finished lower in the survey. 

A closer examination of the numbers shows how Cleveland ranked in several key categories:

• No. 169 in Income & Employment
• No. 171 in Emotional & Physical Well-Being
• No. 181 in Lowest Adequate Sleep Rate
• No. 182 in Community & Environment (worst in nation)
• No. 182 in Highest Divorce & Separation Rate (worst in nation)

Here are 2023's Top 10 Happiest Cities in America

1. Fremont, CA
2. San Jose, CA
3. Madison, WI
4. Overland Park, KS
5. San Francisco, CA
6. Irvine, CA
7. Columbia, MD
8. Sioux Falls, SD
9. South Burlington, VT
10. Burlington, VT

Here is how the rest of Ohio's cities ranked:

• Columbus - No. 143
• Cincinnati - No. 163
• Akron - No. 168
• Toledo - No. 172