Where are the happiest counties in California? These spots made the top 10

Looking for the happiest county in California ? Head to the mountains, according to a new study released by the California State Assembly.

The Select Committee on Happiness and Public Policy Outcomes ranked all 58 counties across the Golden State based on life satisfaction.

Alpine County was No. 1 on the list with a life satisfaction score of 7.92 out of 10, according to the Assembly committee’s analysis.

Alpine, which borders Nevada and lies south of Lake Tahoe, is the state’s least populated county with about 1,200 residents, according to 2022 U.S. Census Bureau statistics.

Marin County was the second-happiest county in California, the study found, while Placer County came in third.

“California has passed countless laws to support the lives and liberties of its people in an enormous variety of ways,” Anthony Rendon, speaker emeritus and committee chair, said in the report. “But in our 175-year history as a state, the California State Assembly has not considered how California can improve the happiness of its people.”

The committee is the first of its kind to focus exclusively on happiness in the United States, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Where are the happiest counties in California?

Seven of the 10 happiest counties in California were on the coast, according to the Assembly committee report.

Of the three counties remaining on the list, two are in the Sacramento Valley.

These were the 10 California counties with the happiest residents and their life satisfaction ratings, according to the study:

1. Alpine County, 7.92 out of 10
2. Marin County, 7.40
3. Placer County, 7.29
4. Yolo County, 7.27
5. San Luis Obispo County , 7.26
6. Santa Cruz County, 7.24
7. Santa Barbara County, 7.24
8. Orange County, 7.23
9. San Mateo County, 7.22
10. Contra Costa County, 7.21

What are the 10 unhappiest counties in California?

Lake County was the least happy county in California with a life satisfaction rating of 6.64 out of 10, the Assembly committee study found.

Nine of California’s 10 unhappiest counties were in the interior of the state, and residents there tended to have lower income levels, according to the study.

These were the California counties that ranked the lowest in terms of happiness, and their life satisfaction scores:

1. Lake County, 6.64 out of 10
2. Del Norte County, 6.70
3. Mariposa County, 6.73
4. Modoc County, 6.81
5. Yuba County, 6.82
6. Tehama County, 6.83
7. Shasta County, 6.85
8. Lassen County, 6.86
9. Siskiyou County, 6.89
10. Trinity County, 6.90

Are California residents getting less happy?

Californians are becoming increasingly unhappy, according to the Public Policy Institute of California, which tracked Californians’ happiness levels from 1998 to 2023.

Over the course of 25 years, the nonprofit research organization found a sharp decrease in happiness as reported by survey respondents.

In 1998, 26% of Californians said they were “very happy,” the institute found, compared to 14% in 2023.

The percentage of “not too happy” Californians doubled from 13% to 26% during that 25-year period, according to the poll.

“We find that happiness is aligned with specific quality of life ratings — in particular, jobs, leisure and housing,” said Mark Baldassare, the Public Policy Institute of California’s statewide survey director.

How can state help residents be happier?

The Select Committee on Happiness and Public Policy Outcomes found that a happier society resulted in healthier people and a less burdened health care system.

Happier people are more productive at their places of work, more likely to vote in elections and more active in their communities, according to the committee report.

“Increasing the number of happier people in California could provide greater economic, health and civic benefits to the state,” the report said.

One of the most prominent actions the state can take to improve peoples’ happiness is to help increase social connections, the report said, noting that people who have friends, family, faith groups and more, tend to be happier.

Reducing poverty through public policy can also lead to happier Californians, the committee found.

People living in poverty are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression, as well as have shorter life spans, the report said.

How did committee come up with list?

The Select Committee on Happiness and Public Policy Outcomes created its report after conducting three hearings between March and August 2024.

State lawmakers interviewed experts and gathered data to determine where residents are happiest and why.

The Assembly committee tasked the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford with collecting happiness data from Californians in all counties. The research center gathered 215,801 Gallup poll survey responses from 2009 to 2018.

Respondents were asked to rate their life satisfaction on a scale from one to 10.

Gallup, a global research firm, also provided research for the international World Happiness Report.