St. Pete One Of The Happiest Towns In U.S.: List

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — St. Petersburg was named one of the happiest towns to live in America, according to a new list released by Outside Magazine.

But what makes a happy town?

“It comes down to things like ample outdoor access, affordability, a safe environment, diversity, and freedom for residents to be who they are,” the active lifestyle magazine wrote.

Editors whittled down a list of 300 contenders to 15 cities representing every region of the U.S. and ranging from small towns like Hood River, Oregon, to larger cities, like New Orleans, Louisiana.

Find the full list here.

The magazine has previously compiled a list of the happiest countries, but this is the first time it’s ever considered the happiest towns in America.

“I love it when The World Happiness Report comes out with its happiest countries in the world each year,” says Outside’s Travel Director Mary Turner. “So we thought: why not apply that lens to our Best Towns package in the U.S.?”