Mar 12, 2026 | 3:30 pm
A new nationwide study analyzing the happiest cities in America has determined Houston is slightly happier than it was last year, but it still appears to be one of the unhappiest U.S. cities in 2026.
Houston currently ranks as the 128th happiest U.S. city. Last year, it was No. 151.
WalletHub determined the happiest cities in America based on 29 relevant metrics based on “positive-psychology research” across three main categories: emotional and physical wellbeing, income and employment, and community and environment. As with most WalletHub studies, it compared the 182 most populous U.S. cities…