Every time you hear Aurora, your mind might first wander to the stunning displays of the northern lights, known as the Aurora Borealis. However, if we come down to earth, you’ll find that Illinois is home to its own “City of Lights,” which is Aurora.
Located just 40 miles west of Chicago, this city offers plenty of activities, from beautiful riverfront views to local shops and restaurants, all within a more relaxed urban atmosphere—perhaps even a happier atmosphere than the crowded Windy City.
In fact, the happiest city in Illinois is not Chicago but Aurora.
WalletHub recently released a list of the top 182 happiest cities in the United States, and Aurora ranked 49th
How did WalletHub decide which is the happiest city in Illinois?
They utilized various findings from positive psychology research to analyze over 180 of the largest U.S. cities and assess 29 key indicators of happiness. These indicators ranged from depression rates and income-growth rates to average daily leisure time.
Aurora had a total score of 58.50, including 34 in Emotional & Physical Well-Being, 155 in Income & Employment, and 40 in Community & Environment.
What is particularly surprising is that Chicago not only failed to be the happiest city in Illinois, but also did not make it into the top 50 happiest cities in the country.
So, where was Chicago on the list?
All the way down to the 93rd spot in the entire U.S., with a total score of 53.03, including being ranked 53 on the Emotional & Physical Well-Being Rank, 179 on Income & Employment, and 99 on Community & Environment.
Where is the happiest city in the U.S.?
As for the happiest city in the U.S., WalletHub has once again declared Fremont, CA, as the happiest city, followed by San Jose, CA, and Irvine, CA.
Learn more about the top happiest places to live at WalletHub.
