2022’s Best Cities for Mental Wellness

Your surroundings can have a big influence on how you’re feeling. A bit of sunshine, green space, and accessible mental health resources can go a long way. 

So, which cities have the optimal environment for mental well-being?

To mark World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10, LawnStarter compared over 190 of the biggest U.S. cities to rank 2022’s Best Cities for Mental Wellness.

We considered 33 metrics based on mental, physical, social, financial, and environmental factors. These include factors like access to therapists, cost of living, average sleep levels, meditation classes, and urban gardening-friendliness. 

See how your city is doing below, followed by our analysis and expert tips.

Contents

• City Rankings
• Highlights and Lowlights
• Mental Wellness By the Numbers
• Ask the Experts
• Methodology
• Take a Mindful Moment

City Rankings 

See how each city fared in our ranking:

Overall Rank (1=Best)	City	Overall Score	Mental Wellness and Access Rank	Physical Wellness Rank	Mindfulness and Social Wellness Rank	Financial Wellness Rank	Environment Rank
1	Naperville, IL	71.07	8	34	23	1	3
2	Pasadena, CA	70.81	1	27	1	132	85
3	Seattle, WA	68.72	9	8	12	12	149
4	Fremont, CA	68.16	15	1	22	41	46
5	San Francisco, CA	67.92	3	18	3	94	24
6	Bellevue, WA	67.54	5	11	16	24	116
7	Alexandria, VA	67.33	2	31	5	32	62
8	Irvine, CA	67.09	7	4	46	78	17
9	Fort Collins, CO	66.03	45	3	20	21	36
10	Santa Rosa, CA	65.58	34	9	11	90	8
11	Scottsdale, AZ	65.57	21	25	2	35	65
12	San Diego, CA	65.31	28	7	15	92	32
13	Oakland, CA	65.25	6	10	36	81	77
14	Salt Lake City, UT	64.70	92	2	7	25	117
15	San Jose, CA	64.50	12	6	60	51	88
16	Portland, OR	64.45	60	5	17	28	107
17	Huntington Beach, CA	64.15	19	26	9	56	39
18	Madison, WI	63.73	64	12	58	5	89
19	Minneapolis, MN	63.57	71	19	26	6	82
20	Atlanta, GA	63.03	16	42	4	63	138
21	Torrance, CA	62.78	4	21	73	102	54
22	Austin, TX	62.77	23	35	8	49	134
23	Frisco, TX	62.67	14	66	54	13	15
24	Sunnyvale, CA	62.51	10	13	101	52	47
25	Boise, ID	61.96	67	15	116	14	10
26	Overland Park, KS	61.62	32	65	69	3	43
27	Orange, CA	61.08	18	23	59	77	52
28	Raleigh, NC	60.90	30	41	34	27	120
29	Fullerton, CA	60.58	13	29	84	74	63
30	Olathe, KS	60.40	113	48	78	4	22
31	Denver, CO	59.64	36	58	21	62	80
32	Durham, NC	59.54	39	32	57	23	163
33	Plano, TX	59.51	24	59	65	53	40
34	Santa Clarita, CA	59.21	20	47	75	119	12
35	Lincoln, NE	59.10	75	53	91	9	31
36	Sacramento, CA	58.93	50	61	29	83	27
37	Colorado Springs, CO	58.87	143	16	77	44	29
38	Grand Rapids, MI	58.79	27	70	28	43	106
39	Denton, TX	58.61	52	56	48	31	90
40	Las Vegas, NV	58.50	115	36	33	139	6
41	Eugene, OR	58.48	124	14	35	71	123
42	McKinney, TX	58.43	29	95	55	33	18
43	Los Angeles, CA	58.41	25	28	37	174	114
44	Escondido, CA	58.33	93	30	25	120	50
45	Virginia Beach, VA	57.73	99	89	40	17	20
46	Chula Vista, CA	57.70	61	37	99	99	14
47	Tampa, FL	57.49	84	87	14	87	25
48	Elk Grove, CA	57.48	59	72	71	64	7
49	Glendale, CA	57.18	22	22	105	162	37
50	Orlando, FL	57.10	35	76	6	154	127
51	Long Beach, CA	57.06	17	43	79	158	91
52	Oceanside, CA	56.85	66	44	63	118	51
53	Lakewood, CO	56.83	74	38	88	30	98
54	Vancouver, WA	56.72	62	40	72	76	103
55	Sioux Falls, SD	56.67	57	92	119	2	81
56	Hayward, CA	56.47	37	20	130	101	60
57	Tempe, AZ	56.41	77	55	38	96	109
58	Washington, DC	56.41	11	86	93	50	150
59	Spokane, WA	56.41	117	24	104	42	84
60	Reno, NV	56.20	138	46	82	60	11
61	Albuquerque, NM	56.19	179	17	97	45	28
62	St. Paul, MN	55.95	85	33	173	15	66
63	Anaheim, CA	55.90	43	49	90	114	86
64	Riverside, CA	55.79	48	67	42	85	172
65	Tucson, AZ	55.77	152	51	41	122	16
66	Miami, FL	55.72	33	94	10	170	108
67	Pittsburgh, PA	55.66	47	90	51	26	180
68	Corona, CA	55.59	49	64	76	69	125
69	Boston, MA	55.34	69	45	95	133	42
70	Omaha, NE	55.16	73	79	114	16	72
71	Greensboro, NC	54.90	105	54	45	97	159
72	Richmond, VA	54.89	55	98	30	117	105
73	Jersey City, NJ	54.79	40	63	74	148	49
74	Charlotte, NC	54.71	68	75	68	57	141
75	Fort Lauderdale, FL	54.65	31	132	13	111	152
76	Santa Ana, CA	54.24	51	60	110	137	63
77	New York, NY	54.16	44	52	62	187	92
78	Oxnard, CA	53.78	53	68	113	140	23
79	Tallahassee, FL	53.51	128	82	27	79	165
80	Lexington, KY	53.42	145	108	52	20	110
81	Henderson, NV	53.31	114	81	141	104	1
82	Huntsville, AL	53.31	141	85	61	19	175
83	Garden Grove, CA	53.22	41	57	122	136	95
84	Phoenix, AZ	52.88	133	62	80	113	115
85	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	52.73	26	100	107	110	130
86	Chicago, IL	52.67	42	111	86	68	147
87	Aurora, IL	52.49	107	110	134	18	34
88	Yonkers, NY	52.35	56	78	176	82	21
89	Rochester, NY	52.14	129	97	32	125	131
90	Salem, OR	52.03	164	93	43	54	119
91	Chesapeake, VA	51.98	142	138	87	11	68
92	Salinas, CA	51.80	89	73	106	161	33
93	Midland, TX	51.76	111	183	67	22	4
94	Winston-Salem, NC	51.57	131	121	100	66	9
95	Anchorage, AK	51.52	166	39	145	36	140
96	Cincinnati, OH	51.51	137	113	18	88	186
97	Knoxville, TN	51.46	172	107	19	65	168
98	Joliet, IL	51.45	120	116	174	8	78
99	Peoria, AZ	51.32	159	102	109	29	30
100	Mesa, AZ	51.32	118	104	111	70	45
101	Modesto, CA	51.31	91	101	89	131	71
102	Providence, RI	51.06	119	84	108	103	76
103	St. Petersburg, FL	50.98	100	96	121	95	70
104	El Paso, TX	50.93	86	83	178	173	2
105	Pomona, CA	50.92	46	50	160	164	126
106	Chandler, AZ	50.87	79	142	118	47	35
107	Aurora, CO	50.86	135	74	167	48	59
108	Des Moines, IA	50.39	147	122	144	7	101
109	Palmdale, CA	50.37	58	71	165	153	75
110	Tacoma, WA	50.18	126	119	55	59	184
111	Chattanooga, TN	50.15	125	117	53	61	190
112	Ontario, CA	49.85	65	91	129	128	139
113	Thornton, CO	49.62	148	99	179	46	38
114	Fontana, CA	49.49	70	112	175	80	56
115	San Antonio, TX	49.46	98	77	123	157	142
116	Murfreesboro, TN	49.17	139	179	31	10	182
117	Pembroke Pines, FL	48.89	54	144	157	72	74
118	Nashville, TN	48.82	108	153	49	89	181
119	Springfield, MO	48.67	182	123	47	75	156
120	Bakersfield, CA	48.61	102	134	83	141	104
121	Dallas, TX	48.37	81	105	115	180	136
122	Houston, TX	48.19	76	109	70	184	189
123	Miramar, FL	48.03	78	158	158	91	44
124	Buffalo, NY	48.02	173	69	154	105	113
125	Moreno Valley, CA	47.95	90	88	163	126	154
126	Bridgeport, CT	47.93	112	80	189	144	61
127	Worcester, MA	47.91	169	126	124	39	83
128	Savannah, GA	47.75	136	150	50	143	146
129	Fort Wayne, IN	47.72	162	135	126	37	79
130	Hollywood, FL	47.71	82	170	81	129	96
131	Lancaster, CA	47.65	63	103	169	151	133
132	McAllen, TX	47.63	38	131	171	181	48
133	Glendale, AZ	47.47	132	133	127	121	69
134	Indianapolis, IN	47.45	165	143	64	55	183
135	Lubbock, TX	47.42	150	136	131	130	19
136	Kansas City, MO	47.22	178	118	128	40	135
137	Birmingham, AL	47.11	146	127	39	169	187
138	Syracuse, NY	46.89	158	106	139	109	144
139	Port St. Lucie, FL	46.87	134	156	138	116	13
140	St. Louis, MO	46.64	83	163	102	124	167
141	Louisville, KY	46.52	188	124	96	34	164
142	Tulsa, OK	46.48	167	115	120	106	162
143	Little Rock, AR	46.46	121	161	85	98	169
144	Stockton, CA	46.39	96	139	172	135	58
145	Arlington, TX	46.24	94	129	161	147	132
146	Fort Worth, TX	46.20	127	130	149	134	122
147	Cape Coral, FL	45.95	123	165	135	123	41
148	Wichita, KS	45.63	184	137	140	38	111
149	Fresno, CA	45.61	87	160	150	150	67
150	Newport News, VA	45.38	160	159	117	67	121
151	Baton Rouge, LA	45.16	101	184	24	156	191
152	San Bernardino, CA	45.03	116	141	143	127	174
153	Columbus, OH	45.02	153	140	147	86	161
154	Oklahoma City, OK	44.89	163	146	152	58	151
155	Garland, TX	44.84	110	120	168	183	101
156	Grand Prairie, TX	44.80	106	148	151	159	87
157	Laredo, TX	44.78	72	125	188	188	26
158	Hialeah, FL	44.49	103	151	182	155	57
159	Rockford, IL	44.34	154	166	132	115	128
160	Irving, TX	44.16	80	167	159	167	100
161	Clarksville, TN	44.07	181	180	44	100	158
162	North Las Vegas, NV	43.94	174	128	191	168	5
163	Norfolk, VA	43.62	170	173	133	84	97
164	Philadelphia, PA	43.39	130	147	162	179	129
165	Dayton, OH	42.95	190	145	92	146	143
166	Amarillo, TX	42.79	180	172	137	107	55
167	Milwaukee, WI	42.52	168	149	185	112	118
168	Baltimore, MD	42.48	121	168	148	165	137
169	Macon, GA	42.14	187	155	98	145	153
170	New Orleans, LA	42.06	95	174	156	176	160
171	Mobile, AL	42.00	175	176	66	152	192
172	Corpus Christi, TX	41.80	171	157	146	177	99
173	Akron, OH	41.44	189	152	166	73	157
174	Springfield, MA	41.40	192	114	184	138	93
175	Jacksonville, FL	41.38	177	181	112	108	170
176	Mesquite, TX	41.09	140	162	170	182	145
177	Paterson, NJ	40.96	109	154	187	189	94
178	Columbus, GA	40.84	156	177	142	149	124
179	Newark, NJ	40.61	97	175	180	190	53
180	Fayetteville, NC	40.32	144	188	94	175	178
181	Brownsville, TX	39.74	88	189	164	192	73
182	Pasadena, TX	39.72	104	171	177	185	177
183	Toledo, OH	39.09	186	169	190	93	112
184	Montgomery, AL	38.94	151	190	136	166	166
185	Shreveport, LA	38.90	161	187	125	160	185
186	Augusta, GA	38.59	176	191	103	178	171
187	Memphis, TN	38.50	157	182	155	163	179
188	Killeen, TX	38.20	149	186	181	171	155
189	Jackson, MS	37.73	155	178	153	186	188
190	Kansas City, KS	36.89	183	185	183	142	173
191	Cleveland, OH	36.45	191	164	186	172	176
192	Detroit, MI	31.93	185	192	192	191	148

Highlights and Lowlights

Suburban Satisfaction

They say money can’t buy happiness — but it can pay for therapy. No wonder wealthy satellite cities landed at the top of our ranking. 

Naperville, Illinois, takes first place overall and in Financial Wellness. A small share of adults with poor mental health and low divorce rates brought this city to the top. Similar rankings lifted Pasadena, California (No. 2), Bellevue, Washington (No. 6), and Alexandria, Virginia (No. 7). These cities are full of therapists, as well as healthy, financially stable, and well-rested adults. 

Pasadena has the best access to mental health services, with more than 556 therapists per 100,000 residents. The City of Roses also boasts the most meditation classes. Naperville has the least crime (No. 1), while Alexandria is great for getting that extra boost of dopamine from biking and other exercise opportunities (No. 1).

West Coast Wellness

The laidback West Coast dominates our ranking, with Pacific cities taking up more than half of our top 20. Meditation, running, biking, yoga, and hiking are popular in this region. Movement and mindfulness can help balance hormones, reduce anxiety, and improve cognitive function.

In addition to their high scores in Physical Wellness and Mindfulness factors, Seattle (No. 3) and San Francisco (No. 5) impress with high access to therapy, green space, and sufficient sleep. Furthermore, California cities Fremont (No. 4), Irvine (No. 8), and San Diego (No. 12) have low divorce rates. Each of these five cities has low levels of poor mental health and unemployment. 

However, not all that glitters is gold: Under the serene surface, long work hours, binge drinking, and drug overdose deaths put a strain on San Fran and Seattle.

Fit Minds

Outside of our top 10 cities, Grand Rapids, Michigan (No. 38), Atlanta (No. 20), and Pittsburgh (No. 67) have the next best access to local mental health providers. 

Getting some exercise can help a lot when you can’t afford (or simply don’t have access to) mental health services. While Fort Collins, Colorado (No. 9), and Salt Lake City (No. 14) each have ample therapy access, they also have high rates of Physical Wellness (No. 3 and No. 2, respectively). 

Working long hours and getting limited sleep can be detrimental to physical and mental health. Sometimes, the best thing for your body and mind is simply to slow down and rest. Fort Collins is also the most well-rested city, followed by Bellevue, Washington; Minneapolis; and Overland Park, Kansas. Meanwhile, New York cities Syracuse and Buffalo, along with Dayton, Ohio, have the lowest average weekly work hours. 

Big-City Blues

Cities with large populations like Chicago (No. 86), Washington (No. 58), and Los Angeles (No. 43) did not fare as well as their top-ranking suburbs. 

These three cities — and New York (No. 77) — have high rates of poverty and unemployment. Residents in Chicago and Washington also suffer from higher rates of binge drinking and drug overdoses, long work hours, and poor weather. Additionally, Chicagoans and Angelenos experience higher rates of poor health, and NYC is severely lacking in access to therapists (No. 192).

At the very bottom of our ranking lie less populated cities like Detroit in last place, followed by Cleveland and Kansas City, Kansas. Each of these cities has substandard scores across the board, with particularly low access to mental health support, financial frailty, and unappealing weather.

Mental Wellness By the Numbers

Methodology

For each of the 200 biggest U.S. cities, we gathered publicly available data on the factors listed in the table below. 

We then grouped those factors into five categories: Mental Wellness and Access, Physical Wellness, Mindfulness and Social Wellness, Financial Wellness, and Environment.

Next, we calculated weighted scores for each city in each category. 

Finally, we averaged the scores for each city across all categories. We eliminated 8 cities lacking sufficient data in a single category, resulting in a final sample size of 192 cities.

The city that earned the highest average score was ranked “Best” (No. 1), while the city with the lowest was ranked “Worst” (No. 192). (Note: The “Worst” among individual factors may not be 192 due to ties among cities.)

Sources: Areavibes, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, Lawn Love, National Center for Disaster Preparedness, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Neighborhood Scout, Other LawnStarter Studies, Psychology Today, Trust for Public Land, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Yelp

Take a Mindful Moment

Social isolation, post-pandemic stress, and inflation have left the nation riddled with depression and anxiety. 

Fortunately, more people are getting access to mental health services than in previous years, thanks to reduced stigma and increased support. Yet many are still without access due to the current shortage of mental health professionals. 

Getting access to mental health counseling can be difficult, especially if your metro is lacking in therapists. Thankfully, there are plenty of online options available for you to attend a telehealth therapy session from the comfort of your home. 

There’s no simple fix to improving your mental health, but there are still some things you can do to feel better:

Meditate

Mindfulness meditation can help with managing stress, depression, and anxiety. Evidence shows that meditation can help relieve pain, decrease blood pressure, and improve sleep quality. Itching for a relaxing trip? Sign up for a mindfulness retreat. 

Grow a garden

Get some plant friends to help cultivate your mental wellness, even if you live in a city. If you don’t have the time, energy, or will to grow a garden of your own, strolling through romantic gardens around your city can be a reviving way to spend your afternoon.

Cook something

Slowing down and taking the time to cook a meal from scratch can be a relaxing way to boost focus, confidence, and emotional well-being. Crafting a tasty, nutritious meal from ingredients in your kitchen can make you feel better physically, too. 

Rest up

It’s important to get some sleep and reset your brain. Rest is important, and lack of sleep could even worsen your mental health. 

Volunteer

Find an organization in your city that matters to you, and see if they’re taking on any new volunteers. By volunteering with them, you’ll likely meet new people, learn new skills, and gain a sense of purpose. 

Try something new

Get a dopamine boost by learning something or having a new experience. For inspiration, you could study a language, eat at a new brunch spot, or learn how to craft a DIY project.

Move your body

Whether you prefer walking, running, hiking, biking, recreational sports, or yoga, there are numerous benefits to being active. Regular exercise can alleviate depression and anxiety, improve sleep, and reduce stress. With many people working from home these days, it’s especially important to prioritize physical activity and get outside.

Mow the lawn

Yes, even mowing the lawn can improve mental well-being. Spending time in your yard getting fresh air, moving your body, and smelling freshly cut grass can help boost your mood (unless you have a grass allergy). If the yard chores are piling up and adding to your stress, hire a local LawnStarter pro to take care of them instead. 

Main Photo Credit: Shutterstock