Cincinnati named one of the happiest places to live in US, outshining other Ohio towns

Haadiza Ogwude, Cincinnati Enquirer
Updated ·2 min read
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Outside Magazine, an outdoor, adventure and travel publication, recently named Cincinnati among the happiest places to live in the U.S. in 2023.
Outside Magazine, an outdoor, adventure and travel publication, recently named Cincinnati among the happiest places to live in the U.S. in 2023.

Searching for a happy place to live? Look no further than the Queen City.

Outside Magazine, an outdoor, adventure and travel publication, recently named Cincinnati among the happiest places to live in the U.S. in 2023.

To determine its findings, Outside evaluated 300 counties in the U.S. across the following categories: overall well-being, percentage of public land, affordability, climate change, inclusivity, population and demographics. It only included towns with populations over 5,000 and under 500,000 on the list.

The report cited Cincinnati's vibrant LGBTQ+ community, lively arts scene, strong job market, reasonable cost of living and its geography as the main reasons for the city's "amicable vibe." It didn't list any other Ohio towns. No cities in Kentucky were mentioned, either.

The Underground Railroad Bicycle Route, North Country National Scenic Trail and Little Miami Scenic Trail were named popular destinations among hikers and cyclists. The report also listed the Little Miami River as a great area for kayaking, and called Findlay Market and Esoteric Brewing must-see places to visit in the area.

The article cited Cincinnati's temperate climate, 8,057 acres of green space and 365 parks and recreation areas as evidence for its high ranking.

But it wasn't all high praise.

The study listed climate change as an area in which the city could improve. But it did credit the Green Cincinnati Plan, a climate change initiative that aims to reduce carbon emissions in the region, and the New Market Solar Project, one of the largest city-established solar array projects in the nation, for their work in addressing these concerns in the area.

Continue below to see the top 15 happiest places to live in the U.S. for 2023. To read the full study, visit outsideonline.com.

Outside Magazine's top 15 happiest places to live in the U.S. for 2023

  • Reno, Nevada.

  • Wilmington, Delaware.

  • New Orleans, Louisiana.

  • Cincinnati, Ohio.

  • Charlottesville, Virginia.

  • Hood River, Oregon.

  • Minneapolis, Minnesota.

  • Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

  • Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

  • Plano, Texas.

  • Anchorage, Alaska.

  • Madison, Wisconsin.

  • Frederick, Maryland.

  • St. Petersburg, Florida.

  • Tacoma, Washington.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Outside Magazine: Cincinnati among happiest places to live in America