It’s hard to measure happiness with a number, but the Institute for Quality of Life does just that.
Only 16 U.S. cities were included on the 2026 Happy City Index. According to their website, it’s one of the largest community-driven studies of urban development in the world with a team of more than 400 researchers. Program director Dr. Bartosz Bartoszewicz says the study had people from all over.
“We have people from Europe, United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, some countries in Africa, Australia, from many places around the world who wanted to join us,” Bartoszewicz said.
Three Texas cities were included on the list: Austin, Houston and Dallas.
Researchers ranked 251 cities around the world based on things like sustainability, how cities are run, employment rates, resident health and long-term development strategies. Bartoszewicz says the goal is “to promote the idea of sustainable development of cities, sustainable development.” He adds that it’s not only about the current generation, but also future generations.
Many residents we spoke with say there are a number of reasons they call the Lone Star State home.
To view the full list, click here.