Bostonians’ healthy lifestyles and access to parks earned the city a fifth-place ranking as the happiest city to live in the U.S., according to a report by “Men’s Health” released last week.
To calculate the happiest cities and “Frown Towns,” “Men’s Health” compiled suicide and unemployment rates from each city as well as percentages of households that report using antidepressants and that feel “blue” all or most of the time.
After collecting the data, “Men’s Health” used SimplyMap, a web-based mapping application, to show demographic information for each city. They then compiled the rankings.
The rating system of the cities is on a letter-grade scale, from A to F.
Among the 100 cities included in the report, St. Petersburg, Fla. is ranked the saddest city in the U.S., garnering an ‘F’ rating by “Men’s Health.”
To combat sadness in a city, “Men’s Health” recommended visiting parks and gardens, staying committed to prescription antidepressant pills and eating healthy foods.
“Men’s Health” cited a study that concluded people who live near parks and gardens are 25 percent less likely to suffer from depression, because exposure to nature decreases stress in some cases.
Among the happiest cities, 10s were designated as “blues-proof towns.” Out of those cities, six got ‘A-’ grades, including Boston.
The other five towns that scored an ‘A-’ were Plano, Texas; Burlington, Vt.; St. Paul, Minn.; Sioux Falls, S.D. and Madison, Wis. The happiest city in America, with an ‘A+’ rating, is Honolulu, Hawaii.
Many students said they agreed that Boston is a happy city overall.
“Boston being the fifth happiest city sounds about right,” said Boston University College of Communication senior Nicholas Sawyer. “We might not be the happiest people around – how could we be with the weather we get? But everyone who I know in Boston at least seems to not hate it.”
Other students said that Boston is happier than other places because it is a college city.
“I think that Boston is the perfect place to live as a college student,” said Violet Sarosi, a sophomore in COM. “Because most of the population is students there is this kind of youthful, innovative vibe everywhere that I love.”
Sarosi’s hometown, Los Angeles, received a ‘D+’ ranking in the study.
“I love California, but Boston is fantastic too,” Sarosi said. “It’s important to experience different lifestyles.”
Other students said they attributed the overall good mood of Bostonians to the city’s laid-back attitude.
“I’d say it’s a chill city,” said BU COM freshmen Ethan Leavitt. “Not everyone’s in such a hurry, not as much as New York, at least.”
New York, Leavitt’s hometown, received a ‘C’ rating from “Men’s Health.”
“I do think Boston’s a happy city,” said BU College of Arts and Sciences freshman Brooke Sheridan. “I’ve lived around this area my whole life and I’m really happy about that. It’s a really clean compared to some other cities, there’s always a lot to do, and we’ve got some great sports teams.”
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