This Is the Friendliest City in the U.S.—and It's a Coastal Paradise

Travel + Leisure

10 hours ago

If you're the kind of person who loves to make new friends wherever you go, then we've got some excellent vacation recommendations for you.
In April, Yuzu, Match Group's social and dating app centered on fostering friendships in the Asian-American community, released its latest data searching for the friendliest places in the United States that are ready to welcome you too.
To figure out which spots will flash you a smile the fastest, the team asked its users to rate just how friendly they think their home city is, including factors like the "frequency of positive interactions with strangers, the likelihood of receiving help when needed, and the overall friendliness of local residents," all ranking them on a one to 10 scale. The insights for each factor were combined to produce each city's final score out of 10, which the team said blended "quantifiable data with the lived experiences of locals."
After doing all that work, it named San Diego the friendliest place in the nation with a score of 8.67 out of 10.
It added that the southern California city exemplifies the "qualities that make communities feel like home." The team also noted that San Diego's "beach vibes, surf-friendly shores, and locals who are as relaxed as the ocean breeze," make it an excellent spot to visit. It also doesn't hurt that its average year-round temperature is somewhere between 50°F and 77°F, making it a near-guarantee that when you do visit, you'll get to experience it in all its outdoor-loving glory.
Following in a close second is Raleigh, North Carolina, which scored high marks as a spot where "comfort meets cutting-edge innovation" and "where warm hellos are as common as sweet tea."
Rounding out the top three is Phoenix, where, once again, the warm sunshine certainly seems to make people happier, with the team noting residents add a "can-do spirit to every encounter."
The rest of the list includes hot spots like the Miami area in fourth, followed by Houston; Honolulu; Boston; San Jose, California; Minneapolis; and Denver, rounding out the top 10.
As for which destination could use a dose of happiness, the team reported that Wichita, Kansas, came in last place. But maybe if you visit and offer up a little kindness, you could boost its happiness score next year.