Courtesy of Marian Ritchie
By Devorah Lev-Tov, Nicholas DeRenzo
March 24, 2026
The recently released 2026 Happy City Index scores cities based on the happiness of their citizens. See which U.S. city ranked highest.
San Francisco is known for its Michelin-starred food (and excellent cheap eats), a dynamic arts and culture scene, colorful architecture, and access to gorgeous green spaces both within the 47-square-mile city limits and around the Bay Area more broadly. Still, some may find it a bit surprising that San Francisco was just named the United States’ happiest city, according to the London-based Institute for Quality of Life’s recently released 2026 Happy City Index.
After all, it wasn’t that long ago that the city was making headlines for its postpandemic “doom loop,” from which it is emerging triumphantly with decreasing crime rates and a rebounding economy. Clearly the good outweighs the more challenging: San Francisco has landed in the 45th spot on the list of the world’s happiest cities and in the top spot for the United States.
What makes San Francisco the happiest city in the U.S.?
This U.S. City Was Just Ranked the Happiest in the Country
Greg