The New ‘Healthiest’ and ‘Happiest’ Cities Lists Are Out and Kentucky Didn’t Fare Very Well

I saw a recent Facebook post from my friend Eva Atkinson of Owensboro. It said, "The happiest city in US, Fremont CA, is near the healthiest city in US, San Francisco, CA! Nowhere on the lists was Kentucky happy or healthy!!"

At first, I was exactly sure which list(s) Eva was referring to, so I looked them up. And she's right! There's a new "Healthiest Cities in America" list from Wallet Hub and only one Kentucky city made the Top 100. That said, that particular city (which I will discuss momentarily) wasn't even close to the Top 50.

Eva also mentioned a list of the "Happiest Cities in America" (also from Wallet Hub) and she was curious if there was a correlation between being healthy and happiness.  As you can see from her post, she mentioned that Fremont, California- the proclaimed Happiest City in the U.S.- is near San Francisco, CA- the Healthiest City.

But what stuck out to Eva and me is the fact that Kentucky cities didn't fare well on either of the lists.

In fact, on the list of the Healthiest Cities in America, only one Kentucky city was able to climb inside the Top 100.

That's Louisville, which came in at #80. To compile this list, Wallet Hub "compared more than 180 of the most populated U.S. cities across 43 key indicators of good health." Those indicators include things like health care, quality of food, fitness and green space.

Only one other Kentucky city made that list. Lexington-Fayette clocked in at #101.

Now, on the list of the Happiest Cities in the U.S., there was a role reversal. Lexington-Fayette finished ahead of Louisville, but both cities ranked outside the Top 100.

Lexington-Fayette ranked #141. Louisville ranked #157. Among the indicators used for the "Happiest" survey- are emotional and physical well-being, income and employment, and community and environment.