Quality of Life

December 9, 2025Last year, Americans spent $228 billion on alcoholic beverages for private consumption, with the average adult spending $898 each. But cultural, social, geographic, demographic, and economic differences all contribute to the divergence of popularity of alcohol in each state. This may have resounding impacts on local communities, ranging all the way from contributions to their… read more…

October 14, 2025Over 61 million Americans receive Medicare benefits to help pay for their healthcare in retirement, a figure up 30% in less than a decade. A low standard monthly premium affords people 65 and older access to care through Part A and Part B coverage, with the option to opt for semi-privatized Part C coverage, also… read more…

September 2, 2025City safety – or lack thereof – can lead to great disparity in quality of life and return on dollars invested by residents, businesses and government alike. In August, the Trump administration issued an Executive Order declaring a crime emergency in Washington, D.C. The federal government subsequently leveraged the local police force and deployed over… read more…

July 30, 2025While costs are often a major factor for families deciding where to settle, safety is another important factor for quality of life. Many households are willing to pay a premium to be in a neighborhood they feel physically safe in, as valuable qualitative benefits may be at stake in establishing a sense of safety –… read more…

September 4, 2025The density, noise and expense of large cities may not always be optimal for each American household. Still, trading in the convenience of a large city often means a multi-person household may be split on what factors go into making a location a best-fit. In some cases, but not others, families may be willing to… read more…

June 24, 2025People with young children or those planning to start a family often have newfound priorities when it comes to picking a neighborhood to live in. Many families choose to trade the conveniences of the big city for more space and affordability as they grow. Other amenities – including childcare costs, access to parks, the presence… read more…

March 26, 2025While measuring individual happiness is challenging due to its subjectivity, broader trends may be able to provide insight into whether a local community is more or less happy than its peers. For instance, research ties higher incomes and lower poverty rates to higher levels of happiness. Similarly, life expectancy and marriage rates can be revealing… read more…

March 13, 2025Retirement savings can serve as a key indicator of financial stability, reflecting not only a household’s ability to set aside money but also shaping retirement timelines and broader workforce and economic dynamics. Across the United States, the average retirement savings per household is estimated to be $114,435 – but this figure varies significantly by state,… read more…

January 22, 2025Marital and singlehood trends vary dramatically across U.S. cities. Nationally, married and never-married adults are almost evenly split at around 41% each, but that balance shifts substantially depending on where you are. In some cities, just 22.4% of the population is married, while in others, it’s as high as 55.9%. The singles landscape varies just… read more…

January 7, 2025Across hundreds of large U.S. cities, a median of 12.5% of workers work from home. But some cities see as many as 3 in 10 workers working remotely, while others maintain a nearly entirely in-person workforce. Factors affecting this wide spread may include the local industries and infrastructure, as well as local demographics. Similarly, the… read more…

December 18, 2024While health insurance can prevent emergencies and catastrophic conditions from decimating your financial plans, the premiums and out-of-pocket expenses can also take a toll on your wallet. In 2024, the average annual premium for a single individual was nearly $9,000 – and an estimated $25,500 for a family of four. While many workplaces subsidize these… read more…

December 3, 2024While poor health can eat into your finances with higher medical costs and reduced wages, good health is generally correlated with higher productivity, increased earnings and lower healthcare expenses. Healthier habits and outcomes can also reduce long-term costs on aggregate populations, and improve quality of life for local residents in a multitude of ways. With… read more…

August 7, 2024Safety is a key factor when choosing a neighborhood to buy a home. It can increase demand and drive up property values. Homebuyers can measure how safe a community is by comparing the reported rates of violent crime, property crime, motor vehicle deaths, drug overdose deaths and excessive drinking, among other common indicators, in different… read more…

July 11, 2024Small cities may offer cost benefits for residents looking to stretch their income while enjoying a comfortable – and more spacious – lifestyle. While livability is a subjective concept that may take on different definitions for different people, some elements of a community can come close to being universally beneficial. Housing affordability, the spread of… read more…

May 15, 2024Inflation has hurt Americans financially in different ways, with the Census reporting that up to 45.8% of some households are having difficulty paying for essentials. In particular, inflation has put some Americans at higher risk for financial instability.  With this in mind, SmartAsset ranked U.S. states according to where residents are struggling most financially. Data… read more…

April 11, 2024Money can’t always buy happiness. However, quality of life can influence your financial decisions and outcomes. 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. To find where Americans are happiest, SmartAsset evaluated 90 of the largest U.S. cities… read more…

April 3, 2024With a variety of environmental events affecting the wide stretch of the United States, each state is subject to its own risks. Particularly, tornadoes, wildfires, hurricanes, flooding, landslides, lightning and drought, among other events, can cause damage to buildings, agriculture and individuals alike. When considering insurance, residents and business owners in each state should account… read more…

February 28, 2024Maintaining physical and mental health is an important part of one’s financial life, especially as one ages. The health status of an individual – and even the community at large – can impact the prices of healthcare, health insurance, life insurance, long-term care insurance and other related expenses. It can also undercut the best laid… read more…

February 8, 2024The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes the connection between lack of sleep and long-term health issues, as well as a higher inclination for dangerous accidents. Long-term health issues can greatly affect your quality of life, including your financial well-being. Health care and long-term care can be a tremendous expense in retirement. But on… read more…

January 31, 2024Whether you’re single or married affects more than your love life. Your relationship status can have a significant impact on your finances. Common advantages of being single include greater career flexibility and lower expenses. On the other hand, a couple also its own financial advantages, including tax benefits, Social Security benefits and economies of scale.… read more…

June 22, 2023For some, the hustle and bustle of big-city living can be overwhelming, but the slow pace of life in a rural small town may not provide enough excitement. Luckily, America is dotted with small cities – places with populations between… read more…

June 7, 2023People often opt to move to the suburbs for myriad reasons – space, affordability, schools, employment and sometimes to seek safety. Violent and nonviolent crime rates, roadway safety, and drug and alcohol abuse within a community can affect the quality… read more…

May 3, 2023The modern worker in 2023 has more options than ever before. Forty-one percent of workers are still fully remote or in a hybrid role1, which means people can opt to settle down in places that can offer a little reprieve from high living costs. This has given rise to a new moniker to describe the… read more…

February 14, 2023While mass layoffs in the tech sector have dominated news headlines recently, the labor market remains especially strong. The U.S. economy added 517,000 jobs in January 2023 and unemployment dipped to its lowest point in more than a half-century. But fears of recession still linger. A recent Harris Poll and Fast Company survey of 1,000 Americans… read more…

August 9, 2025In real estate, it’s all about location, location, location. In fact, the National Association of Realtors’ annual survey of homebuyers from 2022 found that nearly half of all buyers (49%) cited the quality of a neighborhood as the No. 1… read more…