Fremont tops WalletHub's 2025 rankings as America's most serene city
WalletHub's 2025 analysis crowns Fremont, California, as the most serene city in the U.S., with San Jose and San Francisco also ranking high for happiness and low stress.
The Bay Area continues to exemplify tranquility and happiness, as highlighted by WalletHub's 2025 rankings of America's most serene cities. This comprehensive analysis evaluated 182 major U.S. cities, including 29 in California, based on two primary measures: happiness and stress levels.
Happiness was assessed using 29 metrics encompassing well-being, economics, and community engagement, while stress levels were gauged through 39 indicators related to work, finances, family dynamics, health, and safety. By averaging these scores, WalletHub identified Fremont, California, as the nation's most serene city, securing top positions in both happiness and low-stress categories.
Fremont: America's most serene city
Fremont had an incredible performance in WalletHub's 2025 rankings, showing its commitment to a high quality life for its residents.
The city reached a top placement in both happiness and low-stress evaluations, which shows a great balance between economic stability, community engagement, and overall well-being.
California cities with above-average serenity scores
Several other California cities have demonstrated commendable performances in the serenity rankings:
- San Diego: 32nd overall (15th in happiness, 53rd in low stress)
- Chula Vista: 35th overall (27th in happiness, 52nd in low stress)
- Garden Grove: 36th overall (20th in happiness, 60th in low stress)
- Santa Rosa: 38th overall (32nd in happiness, 49th in low stress)
- Anaheim: 45th overall (30th in happiness, 61st in low stress)