New Report Finds Jersey City Has the Lowest Depression Rate in the Country

New Jersey is finally starting to thaw as we get closer to the first official day of spring. The fool’s spring we all just went through seemed to be a cure for depression; sunshine, clear skies, warm temperatures, and plenty of people spending time outside. For those in Jersey City, it’s apparently the norm. Jersey City has the lowest depression rate in the country, according to a new report. Maybe that’s the reason why Jersey City is known as Chilltown. Read on to learn about the 2026 Happiest Cities in America report that found Jersey City has the lowest depression rate in the country. 

2026’s Happiest Cities in America

WalletHub released the 2026 Happiest Cities in America report ahead of International Day of Happiness on March 20th. The personal finance company evaluated more than 180 of the largest US cities using 29 key indicators of happiness. That includes the depression rate, the income-growth rate, and even the average leisure time spent per day.

Here are the top 10 Happiest Cities in America:

1. Fremont, CA
2. Bismarck, ND
3. Scottsdale, AZ
4. South Burlington, VT
5. Fargo, ND
6. Overland Park, KS
7. Charleston, SC
8. Irvine, CA
9. Gilbert, AZ
10. San Jose, CA
    

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While Jersey City did not make the top ten, it ranks as the 31st-happiest city in America. The WalletHub analysts found that Jersey City has the lowest depression rate out of the 180 cities. It’s 2.6 times lower than the city with the highest depression rate, Huntington, West Virginia. 

The report also found Newark, New Jersey, has the lowest number of suicides per 100,000 residents. It’s 6.9 times lower than the city with the highest, Casper, Wyoming. Newark ranked 147th overall on the list of Happiest Cities. 

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Out of the 180 cities, Jersey City ranked 16th for Emotional + Physical Well-Being, 154th for Income + Employment, and 75th for Community + Environment.

There are a ton of things that make Jersey City a happy place to live. Maybe it’s because of how walkable the city is, the unobstructed views of the New York City skyline, the proximity to the Statue of Liberty, or the blend of diverse backgrounds that make up Jersey City. While there are always things that could improve, such as quality of bagels, bike lane traffic, or the ever-increasing cost of living, it’s nice to focus on the things that make Jersey City happy. 

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