all smiles in plano

Dallas neighbor shines as the 2nd happiest city in the U.S., report finds

Who wouldn't want to live in a happy place like Plano?

Photo courtesy of City of Plano

Happy news for Texans living in Plano – they're living in one of the happiest cities in the nation.

A recent SmartAsset study ranked Plano the No. 2 happiest city in the U.S., based on an analysis of 90 large cities for their residents' quality of life, well being, and personal finances.

The study found 52.5 percent of all Plano households make a six-figure salary or more, and only 12.1 percent of residents are burdened by their housing costs. Plano's poverty rate is less than five percent, so maybe it's not all that difficult to live comfortably in Dallas-Fort Worth, after all.

Plano has a marriage rate of 56 percent, and its residents have a life expectancy of 82.2 years old. Nearly 90 percent of residents have health insurance, and an individual has about four "mentally unhealthy" days per month on average, which is one of the lowest figures out of all 90 cities in the study.

Plano residents have proven that they get happier with each passing year, as the city moved up four spots from its former No. 6 rank in SmartAsset's 2022 report.

There's much that has improved: Besides the numerous new restaurants and popular eateries expanding into the area, Plano was also recently named one of the best cities in the U.S. for professionals in the technology industry.

While money can't necessarily buy happiness, SmartAsset suggests that having a higher quality of life can influence a person's financial decisions, therefore leading to a greater probability of beneficial outcomes. Of course, that's assuming high financial literacy and strong money management skills.

"Depending where you live, certain quality of life factors, including metrics like life expectancy, infrastructure and the rate of marriage, can ultimately impact your happiness," the report's author wrote.

Elsewhere across North Texas, Fort Worth ranked No. 38, with only 35.7 percent of households in the city earning a six-figure minimum salary, far less than Plano. Fort Worth residents have an average life expectancy of 78.9 years, and a marriage rate of 47.3 percent.

Arlington came in at No. 47, while Irving ranked No. 64. Dallas (No. 80) fell towards the bottom of the ranking as the 10th "unhappiest" city in the U.S.

Other Texas cities on the list, that notably aren't as happy as Plano, include Austin (No. 65), San Antonio (No. 70), Corpus Christi (No. 77), Houston (No. 81), El Paso (No. 83), and Laredo (No. 89).

The top 10 happiest cities in the U.S. are:

No. 1 – Arlington, Virginia
No. 2 – Plano, Texas
No. 3 – Fremont, California
No. 4 – San Jose, California
No. 5 – Seattle, Washington
No. 6 – Boise City, Idaho
No. 7 – Raleigh, North Carolina
No. 8 – Chesapeake, Virginia
No. 9 – San Francisco, California
No. 10 – Anchorage, Alaska

The report ranked the 90 most populous U.S. cities based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau 1-Year American Community Survey for 2022 and from the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps for 2023. Data that factored into each city's ranking included a city's household income, poverty level, life expectancy, health insurance rates, marriage rates, overcrowding rates, and more.

The full report and its methodology can be found on smartasset.com.

dallas plano smartasset reports rankings

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Editor's note: The top Dallas news of the week includes a restaurant boom for Frisco and a celebrity sighting. Plus, one more superlative for Plano. Catch up on our hottest headlines below, then visit this guide to plan your weekend.

1. 8 high-profile Dallas restaurants that are expanding to booming Frisco. As North Texas' population continues its march north, Dallas restaurants are following right behind. That includes a big wave of well-known Dallas restaurants that are expanding into Frisco’s dining scene this fall and beyond.

2. Plano ranks as No. 2 safest big city in the U.S. for 2026. Plano can add a new title to its growing list of superlatives. A new study ranks the Dallas suburb as the second-safest city in the U.S. among those with at least 250,000 residents.

3. Shaquille O'Neal cruises Dallas lake in custom '64 Chevy Impala boat. Those on Lake Ray Hubbard in early July witnessed basketball superstar Shaq cruising the waters in a convertible 1964 Chevrolet Impala. A surreal sight, onlookers say.

Shaquille O'Neal Impala boat Shaq hops in the Impala boat. Photo courtesy of Effortless Motors

4. This Dallas neighbor is the No. 2 hottest ZIP code to move to in 2026. A new migration report has reaffirmed Texas as one of the hottest destinations for movers during the first half of 2026, and one Dallas suburb is attracting more movers than almost any other ZIP code in America.

5. Chinese restaurant Yang's Smokehouse in Plano has sensational skewers. A new family-owned Asian restaurant specializing in skewers has opened in Plano. Called Yang's Smokehouse, it's a Chinese place now open at the Mitsuya Marketplace center with a menu featuring dishes you won't find anywhere else in Dallas.