Alpine County Named Happiest in California, According to New Report

Alpine County, located just south of Lake Tahoe, topped the list despite being one of the state's least populous counties.Photo bySurfaceonUnsplash

The newly formed California Assembly Select Committee on Happiness and Public Policy has released its first report, identifying Alpine County as the happiest county in the state. The study, aimed at helping lawmakers create policies that promote well-being, surveyed data from multiple organizations, including the Public Policy Institute of California.

Alpine County, located just south of Lake Tahoe, topped the list despite being one of the state's least populous counties. Marin, Placer, Yolo, and San Luis Obispo counties completed the top five. In contrast, Los Angeles County, the most populous in the state, ranked 29th, while Orange County placed 8th, and Riverside and San Bernardino counties ranked 32nd and 42nd, respectively.

The report linked happiness to factors such as location, employment, leisure, and housing. However, it noted a concerning trend: while the number of “pretty happy” Californians has remained stable over the past 25 years, the percentage of “very happy” residents has significantly dropped from 28% in 1998 to 16% in 2023. Additionally, the percentage of “not too happy” residents has doubled during the same period.