Nevada Has One of the Happiest Cities in America

When asked, "What do you want out of life?," many people answer, "I want to be happy." It's one of the biggest desires for humans, really. So, if you want to be happy, it would probably help to live in one of the happiest cities in America. Well, one Nevada city is one of the happiest cities in the U.S., as ranked by a new study.

The study comes from Outsideonline.com. They came up with a list of the 15 happiest cities in America. To select these cities, they used certain factors, including overall well-being; public land and affordability; climate change and inclusivity; and demographic stats. For the stats, the figures used in this study come from the U.S. Census Bureau. Also, median home and rental prices come from Redfin data as of July 2023. Finally, information on percentage of parkland and proximity to parks came from the Trust for Public Land. So, all these factors combined make them "happy." A lot more went into the methodology of this study, too, and you can find more information here.

So, which Nevada city is considered one of the happiest cities in America? It's Reno. The city, according to this study, has a population of 273,448, median home price of $550,000, median rental price of $1,531 and a percentage of parkland at 5%. Outsideonline.com really sings the praises of this town. In the article, they state, "Once known for gambling and easy divorces, Reno is now a modern boomtown, with a whitewater park, multiple climbing gyms, a monthlong summer arts festival, a number of craft breweries, and urban art installations handed down from Burning Man, the late-summer gathering in the Black Rock Desert 140 miles north. The Biggest Little City in the World's ample public land and mountain vibe make it a fun town for a populace hankering for just those qualities." Find the full study here.

Wedding season has begun. In general, wedding season extends from late spring and continues through early fall, with weddings peaking in June and September says Brides.com. Most couples opt for Spring and early Fall weddings because temperatures are a bit more comfortable compared to the warmer or colder seasons.

When it comes to weddings, some people scope out venues that offer affordability, space for guests, or a place that practically decorates itself with a stunning backdrop. That's why many couples prefer getting married outdoors.  Whether it be a private estate, a public area like a beach, or your own backyard, some cities may be a better option for an outdoor wedding.

LawnLove.com compared 200 of the biggest U.S. cities based on eight categories to compile a list of the best cities for outdoor wedding venues. They looked at the quality of outdoor wedding venues, access to wedding planners, sunshine, and other metrics.

Several cities in Florida and California are at the top, with plenty of access to venues and wedding-related services. The best venue access for outdoor weddings includes Charleston, South Carolina at number one, followed by Savannah (number. 4), Honolulu (number 15), New Orleans (number 10), St. Louis (number 14), and Las Vegas (number 13).

The study found that some smaller cities and suburbs are not so great for nature-themed nuptials, such as Miramar, Florida (number 197), Newark, New Jersey (number 198), and North Las Vegas, Nevada (number 199). They said these cities generally lack venue access, high venue quality, accommodations, and wedding-look resources.

Overall, due to a lack of venues, wedding planners, bridal shops, and accommodations, among other resources, West Valley City, Utah finished at 200.

Check out the full list of the best cities for outdoor weddings here.

Here are the best and worst Nevada cities for outdoor weddings.

Leave it to Las Vegas to rank at unlucky number 13. But that's still a pretty great ranking and lots of people love tying the knot in Sin City.

Not too high on the list but it did rank number 72. However, Reno ranked high for venue access.

Not the best but not exactly the worst is Henderson. It ranked 133 on the list. It could be due to its lack of professional services and venue access scores according to the study.

Second to last on the list is North Las Vegas 199. Unfortunately, that makes it one of the worst for outdoor wedding venues.