Study: Happiest Cities in Arizona

Thanks to the warm weather and dazzling desert views, Arizona's residents sport grins that are just as wide as the Grand Canyon. Retirees are drawn in by the beautiful sunsets and the low cost of living while job seekers are attracted to the buzz of activity surrounding cities like Phoenix and Tucson. In some parts of the Copper State, residents have more reasons to be happy than others. We've tallied the happiest cities in Arizona below.

Study Methodology

To get our study rankings, we collected U.S. Census data and FBI crime statistic information for municipalities with a population of at least 5,000. Each city was assigned a rank based on how it scored in seven specific categories:

1. Restaurants
   
2. Crime rate
   
3. Commute
   
4. Departure time
   
5. Income
   
6. Divorce rate
   
7. Housing

Spending time with the people you're closest to can improve your mood, and it's even better when you can do so while enjoying a good meal. To determine which cities offer the most dining options, we considered the number of restaurants per capita.

While no city is crime free, some offer residents a greater sense of security than others. If you're wondering which of the cities in our study are the safest, take a look at how they ranked based on the odds of being the victim of a violent crime.

Getting to work can certainly dampen your spirits if you're constantly battling heavy traffic. Our next study measure compared the average commute time for each city to see where the daily drive is the shortest.

Arizona is known for its beautiful sunsets but getting up early to watch the sunrise is a great way to start the day. We decided to look at the percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m. to see where people are the most bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

Earning more money can ease some of your financial worries and leave you feeling more confident about your situation. We wanted to see how worker salaries stack up so we considered the median household income for each city.

To gauge how happy couples are in each city, we considered the percentage of men and women who are divorced. The lowest percentages made into our final list.

Home and rental prices are heating up in Arizona but all in all, it's got an excellent cost of living. Our final study ranking looked at the percentage of income residents spend on housing to measure each city's affordability.

10 Happiest Cities in Arizona

10. Avondale

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 824 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 336.3
  
• Average commute time: 25.7 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 11.6%
  
• Median household income: $57,791
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 8.7% of males, 12.5% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 24.8%

Avondale is one of Phoenix's larger suburbs, and its popularity is evident among the 78,000 people who live here. Between the mild climate and reasonably low housing costs, there's not too much to complain about. Avondale has the highest percentage of residents heading to work before 5 a.m., and getting to their destination takes about 26 minutes on average.

Did You Know: The Base Line and Principal Meridian points that were used to conduct the initial survey of Arizona meet in Avondale.

9. Sedona

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 143 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 508.7
  
• Average commute time: 14.8 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 3.4%
  
• Median household income: $51,430
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 13.9% of males, 22% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 22.9%

Sedona is one of Arizona's most visually stunning cities, thanks to the natural backdrop of the surrounding red rock formations. About 10,000 people reside here year-round, but thousands more visit each year to share in the good vibes the town gives off. Violent crime isn't something residents contend with too often, nor is a long commute. The dining scene features a mix of high-end eateries and casual cafes where you can enjoy the best local flavors.

Did You Know: Sedona has been used as a location for a number of films, including "National Lampoon's Vacation" and "The Karate Kid."

8. Oro Valley

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 881 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 1989.8
  
• Average commute time: 28.5 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 4%
  
• Median household income: $68,597
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 6.7% of males, 11% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 20.9%

Parents give Oro Valley the thumbs-up because of its excellent schools, modestly priced housing and the fact that it has one of the best violent crime rates in the state. It takes the working crowd about 29 minutes on average to make it to the office but at the end of the day, it's worth it since they earn median payday of almost $69,000. Oro Valley's divorce rate proves that it's also a good place for couples to make their home once the honeymoon's over.

Did You Know: The Bell House, built for the family of Alexander Graham Bell, is located just south of Oro Valley.

7. Marana

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 484 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 1,017.6
  
• Average commute time: 27.7 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 5.6%
  
• Median household income: $71,723
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 8.3% of males, 11.9% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 23.2%

The city of Marana, located north of Tucson, has a great reputation, especially if you love the great outdoors. As far as the local neighborhoods go, violent crime isn't something you'll hear a lot about and the housing costs aren't too burdensome. Residents face a slightly longer drive time to work but there's an upside: they earn the second highest median income in our study.

Did You Know: During World War II, the Marana airfield was responsible for training about 10,000 military pilots.

6. Gilbert

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 906 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 1,045.2
  
• Average commute time: 26.7 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 6.2%
  
• Median household income: $80,121
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 9% of males, 11.8% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 22.7%

With over 221,000 residents, Gilbert rivals cities like Scottsdale and Glendale in size, and it has that little something extra that landed it in the number six spot. Workers earn the biggest paychecks, with a median income of over $80,000, and the scarcity of violent crime makes it tempting for families. Home and rental prices are a little higher compared to the rest of the Phoenix metro area, but you'll still spend less than 23 percent of your pay on housing.

Did You Know: Gilbert residents enjoy bird watching at the Riparian Preserve, which is home to nearly 300 bird species.

5. Winslow

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 304 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 96.6
  
• Average commute time: 14.3 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 6.9%
  
• Median household income: $43,565
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 12.4% of males, 13.6% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 21.3%

Winslow is a small town but the 9,400 people who live here don't seem to mind too much. The city made it to the top five based on the number of residents who are out the door before 5 a.m. and the amount of time it takes them to get to work on average. Although the median income is less than some of our other cities, the housing costs are also proportionately lower. If you're in the mood for a delicious meal with a helping of historic charm on the side, dinner at The Turquoise Room at La Posada Hotel is a must.

Did You Know: One of Winslow's most famous attractions is the "Standin' On The Corner" Park, whose name comes from a line in the Eagles' song, "Take It Easy."

4. Florence

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 1,486 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 889.5
  
• Average commute time: 21.5 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 8.5%
  
• Median household income: $45,114
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 16.7% of males, 11.8% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 16.8%

Florence lies to the southeast of Phoenix and as far as smaller cities go, it's got a lot of big-time appeal. There are close to 27,000 people living here and nearly 9% of them are up and on the go before 5 a.m. The daily commute is fairly short, at just under 22 minutes, and the median income is a healthy $45,000. Best of all, housing takes up less than 17% of residents’ pay and violent crime is a rarity.

Did You Know: Florence is the sixth oldest European settlement founded in Arizona.

3. Sierra Vista

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 552 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 358.6
  
• Average commute time: 16 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 4.9%
  
• Median household income: $56,433
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 11.2% of males, 13.2% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 20.4%

If you prefer a mountain view, Sierra Vista is the perfect place to put down roots. The climate here is a little warmer compared to northern Arizona, but the breathtaking landscape makes up for it. Whether you rent or buy, housing won't cost an arm and a leg and you won't have to worry about being tied up in traffic on the way to work.

Did You Know: The area surrounding Sierra Vista is filled with historic attractions, such as Coronado Cave and Fort Huachuca.

2. Holbrook

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 193 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 88
  
• Average commute time: 19.2 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 7.6%
  
• Median household income: $50,117
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 7% of males, 9.8% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 16.2%

If you've never been to Holbrook, it's easy to overlook this tiny little town but it's definitely a spot you don't want to miss. It's easily the smallest city on our list, with only about 5,000 residents, but they seem to be cheerful folks based on its second-place ranking. Not only does it feature the lowest combined divorce rate, but residents enjoy dirt cheap housing costs based on the amount of income they have to shell out.

Did You Know: Holbrook is a short drive from the Petrified Forest National Park, which features fossilized trees dating back to 225 million years to the Mesozoic era.

1. Page

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 128 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 103.3
  
• Average commute time: 11.1 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 8%
  
• Median household income: $61,765
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 8.6% of males, 10.9% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 16.9%

Page got its start as a housing community for workers employed during the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam. Although it’s small, it's endured the test of time. There are about 7,300 people living here full-time, although the population swells as visitors pour into nearby Lake Powell each summer. Getting to work takes hardly any time at all and the median income is pretty sweet. Page earned the best rating for the number of restaurants per capita, and you'd be nuts to pass up a chance to eat at Bonkers.

Did You Know: Page sits northeast of the Colorado River's Horseshoe Bend, made famous by photographer Ansel Adams.

Despite being the center of the state government and Arizona's economic hub, Phoenix surprisingly didn't make the cut. Even though it's got more than a million residents, it was the smaller cities that stood out as the happiest spots to settle down.