Scottsdale ranks 3rd happiest city in America; 5 other Arizona cities crack top 30

PHOENIX — Arizona cities dominated the top ranks of a new national happiness study, with Scottsdale finishing third among 182 U.S. cities and five other Arizona communities landing in the top 30.

The WalletHub report evaluated cities across 29 indicators of well-being, including depression rates, income levels, leisure time and community satisfaction. Scottsdale trailed only Fremont, California, and Bismarck, North Dakota.

Gilbert ranked ninth nationally, followed by Chandler at 14th, Tempe at 20th, Peoria at 23rd and Mesa at 29th. Phoenix placed 56th, while Glendale came in at 75th. Tucson, at 122nd, was the lowest-ranked Arizona city in the study.

Scottsdale’s high placement stemmed largely from residents’ physical and mental health, the study found. More than 88% of adults reported good or better health, the third-highest rate in the country. The report found that 87% of respondents said they participate in physical activities.

The city also recorded the third-lowest share of adults reporting 14 or more mentally unhealthy days per month.

Income played a role as well: About 65% of Scottsdale households earn more than $75,000 annually, a threshold researchers say correlates with peak happiness. Just 7% of residents reported incomes below the poverty line.

If the data is to be believed, Scottsdale is getting happier (or the country is getting sadder). The same study last year ranked Scottsdale as the eighth happiest city.

Happiest city list includes Gilbert, Chandler, Tempe

Gilbert and Chandler scored particularly well on community and environment metrics, ranking sixth and 10th nationally in that category. Tempe stood out for income and employment, placing 15th.

The study drew on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Bureau of Labor Statistics and other federal sources.

Detroit finished last among the 182 cities studied.

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