Some places just ooze happiness. Whether it’s bright green lawns leading up to charming houses, pleasant neighbors waving to each other in the grocery store, or amazing spots to grab a delicious brunch, there’s something about certain Massachusetts cities that stands out. CreditDonkey recently published a study that attempted to pin down the “happiest” cities in Massachusetts. Places were ranked according to factors such as restaurants per capita, crime rate, commute time, morning departure time, income, divorce rate, and housing expenditure. Check out the results below!
With a $60k median income and an average work commute that is less than 30 minutes, Leominster takes tenth on our list of happiest cities. (Pictured: Sholan Farms)
Boasting the lowest divorce rates on this list (4.9 percent of males and 9.6 percent of females) and a high median income of $72,000, Cambridge residents have plenty to be happy about.
Beverly has extremely low crime rates (your chances of being a victim of violent crime are 1 in 483.7) and the average morning commute is less than 26 minutes on average. The average resident also spends less than a quarter of their income on housing.
Just 30 miles from Boston, Marlborough residents have access to a large sports center, a mall, and bustling downtown area. Housing prices are much lower when compared to the rest of the metro area and the median income hovers around $70,000.
Besides the sparkling sea air, Gloucester residents have a lot to be happy about. Your chances of being a victim of violent crime are pretty low (about 1 in 1084) and despite the oceanfront locale, the average commute time is only 24 minutes.
Peabody residents can expect to spend less than a quarter of their income on housing and a solid 5.4% of residents leave for work before 5 a.m.. If you’re morning person, this might be the city for you.
A mere 15 miles from Boston, Waltham is a sweet spot for those who want a life in the suburbs but don’t want to be too far from the action. The median income is a respectable $72,000 and there are LOTS of places to eat – one restaurant for every 238 inhabitants!
This is one of Boston’s oldest suburbs and its residents certainly aren’t short on cash – the median income is $113,000 and inhabitants only spend about a fifth of that on housing, on average. Newton’s neighborhoods are also very safe and well-maintained.
Woburn did well across the board. Low crime rate, low divorce rates, and a short average commute time (24.2 minutes) all make for one happy city. As an added reason to smile, home prices here are significantly lower compared to other Boston suburbs.
Surprise. Westfield is the number one happiest city in Massachusetts. Though they have the shortest average commute time in the state (a mere 23 minutes), 4.5% of residents leave for work before 5 a.m.. Violent crime is rare, divorce rates are reasonably low, and there are plenty of great spots to eat with one restaurant per 567 inhabitants.
Was your city on this list? What make your hometown the happiest place to be? Let us know!
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