Authorities: 8 children killed in domestic shootings in NW Louisiana

More than 120 rights groups including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) issued a travel advisory on Thursday warning that visitors to the 2026 World Cup could face "serious rights violations" due to the US government's immigration policies.

The coalition said fans, players, journalists and other travelers to World Cup games in the United States risked being affected by what it described as the Trump administration's "draconian immigration and anti-human rights agenda."

The grouping called on football's world governing body FIFA -- whose president, Gianni Infantino has close ties to Donald Trump -- to lobby the US government to ensure the safety of all travelers to the tournament.

"FIFA has been paying lip service to human rights while cozying up with the Trump administration, putting millions of people at risk of being harmed and their basic rights violated," said Jamil Dakwar, ACLU human rights program director. 

"It's past time that FIFA use its leverage to push for meaningful policy changes and binding assurances that will make people feel safe to travel and enjoy the games."

The coalition advisory warned that foreigners visiting the United States for the World Cup face specific risks, including "arbitrary denial of entry and risk of arrest, detention or deportation; invasive social media screening and searches of electronic devices; violent and unconstitutional immigration enforcement and racial profiling."

The advisory also said visitors potentially faced "suppression of speech and protest and increased surveillance; cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment – and even death" while detained by US Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The majority of matches at the World Cup -- 78 out of 104 -- are scheduled to take place in the United States, which is co-hosting the tournament alongside Canada and Mexico.

Four qualified nations - Iran, Haiti, Senegal, and Ivory Coast -- may find themselves without their supporters due to travel bans imposed by the US government, as Donald Trump has made anti-immigration policy the centerpiece of his second term.

Washington has assured that the administration's immigration crackdowns measures do not affect tourist visas -- and, by extension, fans holding tickets for the World Cup. 

FIFA has also established an expedited consular appointment process for visa applications, though without guaranteeing that a visa will be granted.

Concerns among supporters have intensified amid ongoing ICE operations targeting undocumented migrants. 

In January, two US citizens protesting the immigration crackdown were killed by federal agents in Minneapolis, prompting widespread outrage.

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© Agence France-Presse

More than four million tickets were sold worldwide for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics during this month's first window for purchases, organizers announced on Thursday.

Ticket buyers were from 85 nations, with top global sales beyond the United States coming from the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico and Japan.

"The response to our initial on-sale was nothing short of historic," LA28 chief executive officer Reynold Hoover said. "Fans from near and far have spoken: the world wants to be part of the LA28 Games."

The next opportunity for 2028 Olympic ticket purchases will be in August, with people able to register through July 22. Fans will be able to buy up to 12 tickets for Olympic events and up to 12 tickets for Olympic football matches that don't count toward the 12-ticket Olympic maximum.

According to organizers, 95% of all tickets available under $100 were sold in the opening wave, with women's sessions outselling men's sessions 93% to 88%.

Gymnastics tickets sold the fastest with all available inventory sold for new Olympic offerings flag football, lacrosse, softball and squash.

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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel is taking an indefinite break to seek counseling following controversy over his links to a female journalist, US media reported on Thursday.

Vrabel, who is married, has denied any impropriety after the publication of photos showing him embracing and holding hands with The Athletic NFL reporter Dianna Russini while poolside at an adults-only resort in Arizona last month.

Russini, who is also married, also denied wrongdoing. She subsequently resigned from her job as The Athletic launched an investigation into the incident.

Addressing the controversy on Tuesday, Vrabel said he had had "difficult conversations" with his family, the Patriots, coaches and players over the scandal which he described as "positive and productive."

In a statement to ESPN quoted across US media on Thursday, however, Vrabel said he had decided he now planned to step away from his job to begin counseling starting this weekend.

The decision means Vrabel will not be part of the Patriots team managing the third round of the NFL Draft on Saturday.

"As I said the other day, I promised my family, this organization and this team that I was going to give them the best version of me that I can possibly give them," Vrabel was quoted as saying in the statement.

"In order to do so, I have committed to seeking counseling, starting this weekend. This is something that I have given a lot of thought to and is something I would advise a player to do if I was counseling them.

"I have always wanted to lead by example, and I believe this is what I have to do to be the best husband, father and coach that I possibly can be. This is not an easy thing for me to admit, but it is one that I know will make me a better person." 

Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a player for the Patriots alongside Tom Brady, has helped transform the franchise since being hired as head coach in early 2025.

In Vrabel's first season in charge, the Patriots finished 14-3 and reached the Super Bowl, where they were defeated by the Seattle Seahawks in February.

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(The Center Square) – Michigan Secretary of State and Democrat gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson is facing scrutiny over her past role with the Southern Poverty Law Center following a federal indictment against the organization.

A grand jury indictment announced by the U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday charges the SPLC with 11 counts, including wire fraud, bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Federal officials allege the organization directed more than $3 million in donor funds between 2014 and 2023 to individuals associated with extremist groups. Benson served on the SPLC’s board of directors from 2014 through early 2019, which overlaps with the timeframe outlined in the indictment.

The allegations against the SPLC have prompted questions about the role board members, like Benson, played in the alleged crimes.

“This indictment raises serious questions about how the SPLC has been spending donor money,” said Gabe Butzke, a spokesperson for Michigan Forward Network. “As a member of their board, did Jocelyn Benson know that donor money was reportedly being used to fund extremism and violence?”

According to the federal indictment, some of the groups that recieved funding include the Ku Klux Klan, United Klans of America and the National Socialist Movement, as well as an individual tied to organizing the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville.

“The SPLC is a nonprofit entity that purports to fight white supremacy and racial hatred by reporting on extremist groups and conducting research to inform law enforcement groups with the goal of dismantling these groups,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said at a news conference announcing the charges. “The SPLC was not dismantling these groups. It was instead manufacturing the extremism it purports to oppose by paying sources to stoke racial hatred.”

SPLC CEO Bryan Fair said the group is “outraged by the false accusations.”

“Taking on violent hate and extremist groups is among the most dangerous work there is, and we believe it is also among the most important work we do,” Fair said. “To be clear, this program saved lives.”

Benson’s office did not respond to a request for comment from The Center Square regarding her role on the SPLC board or the federal charges. She has also not released a statement regarding the indictment.

Separately, Benson is also facing multiple lawsuits alleging racial discrimination within the Michigan Department of State, which she leads.

A lawsuit filed just last week by Metro Detroit employees Jaqueline Griffin and Cherylann Sanker alleges they were subjected to discrimination and retaliation. The plaintiffs are seeking $10 million in damages.

The case marks at least the fourth lawsuit in recent years alleging racial discrimination within the department. A separate lawsuit filed in January on behalf of four employees also alleged a “racially hostile environment."

In a sworn statement included in that case, former Assistant Secretary of State Heaster Wheeler said he raised concerns directly with Benson.

“I brought these matters to the attention of Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson,” Wheeler wrote. “Ms. Benson did not act to correct this situation.”

Benson’s department has denied the allegations of racial discrimination. Previous disputes have resulted in settlements, including a $775,000 agreement reached in 2024 with a former employee who alleged a "racially hostile" work environment.

This all comes as Benson campaigns for governor and is considered a leading Democrat candidate for the election, which is in just 194 days.

The sad saga of a humpback whale stranded a month ago on the German coast has sparked a flood of compassion but also a media frenzy, angry spats, conspiracy theories and death threats.

As Germans have followed the travails of the sea mammal, dubbed "Timmy" by a newspaper, on their live news tickers, TV screens and influencers' YouTube and TikTok channels, some worry about what its epic struggle says about a nation's collective psyche.

Sociologist Christian Stegbauer said the whale, a highly intelligent and social animal, had become an object of human "projections", with people engaging, especially on social media, in "a kind of competition on who cares most for the animal". 

While rescue workers have exhausted themselves in cold water, the odyssey has also featured heated rifts between veterinarians and self-proclaimed "whale-whisperers",  fundraising scams and esoteric attempts to heal the whale through chanting.

The drama began when the 13-metre (over 40-foot) cetacean was beached on a Baltic Sea sandbank on March 23 at the seaside resort Timmendorfer Strand near Luebeck, far from its Atlantic Ocean habitat, with remains of a fishing net in its mouth and in poor physical condition.

Since then a series of rescue attempts -- involving volunteers, environmental groups, maritime police, work crews with excavators and millionaire sponsors -- have repeatedly raised hopes that were quickly dashed, as the whale has swum off, zig-zagged and ended up beached again.

German media have broadcast the hapless creature lying motionless in shallow water for hours on end, with men in diving suits splashing water on it using kayak paddles.

Tide tables have become the stuff of national interest, and rare moments when the exhausted whale has blown water or flapped its fin have warranted breaking news bulletins.

- Cushions and pontoons -

The wave of sympathy tipped into public anger on April 1 when regional authorities announced they were convinced the badly injured and distressed animal could no longer be saved.

Activists quickly staged beach protests on the island of Poel near Wismar, where the animal had by then ended up, demanding further rescue attempts.

Various government officials, veterinarians and green groups received hate mail.

"The citizens participating in the debate react emotionally, while the scientists try to argue rationally," Stegbauer, the sociologist with Frankfurt University, told AFP. "The two approaches clash."

Conspiracy theories surfaced online that the whale had been deliberately driven into the Baltic Sea and all had been staged by a cabal of scientists, authorities and environmental organisations.

Till Backhaus, environment minister for the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, said some rescue workers had received death threats.

Despite experts warning that trying to save the creature would only cause it more pain, two multi-millionaires then jumped in with an elaborate rescue plan involving inflatable cushions and pontoons.

"I believe that life is the most important thing we have, and I simply felt that I had to do something," Walter Gunz, founder of a large consumer electronics retail chain, told the Neue Osnabruecker newspaper.

- 'Managed to death' -

News magazine Der Spiegel ran a long report about a local church on Poel island where the guestbook was no longer filled with personal reflections or prayers, but with messages about Timmy.

"You can do it, big boy!" read one.

During a press conference about the last-ditch rescue effort, veterinarian Janine Bahr‑van Gemmert was heckled by a man who burst through a security cordon.

"We have a right to know why this whale is being managed to death," he demanded.

Speaking to Welt TV, psychiatrist Borwin Bandelow said the whale may have become a symbol of Germans' wider and deeper dissatisfaction with a struggling economy and politics in general.

"The government is perceived as incompetent," he said. "Just as it can't solve many other everyday problems, it now can't solve this problem either."

A commentary in the Sueddeutsche Zeitung argued the saga had largely ignored more complex ecological issues and focused on the plight of a single animal, showing how modern society has lost touch with nature.

"In reality, the exhausted animal ... is not being saved for its own sake, let alone for the preservation of its species. It is being saved to spare us the live webcam images of its death."

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Warner Bros. Discovery on Thursday said shareholders approved its sale to Paramount Skydance, giving a green light to a hostile takeover bid valuing the combined company at $110 billion.

The agreement ends a lengthy takeover saga and creates an entertainment behemoth whose impact on a struggling media landscape -- and connections to President Donald Trump's White House -- will be closely scrutinized.

The merged entity will include CNN, CBS, HBO and Nickelodeon as well as some of Hollywood's most valuable franchises, including Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, the DC Universe, Mission Impossible and SpongeBob SquarePants.

"Today's stockholder approval is another key milestone toward completing this historic transaction that will deliver exceptional value to our stockholders," WBD chief executive David Zaslav said in a release.

"We will continue to work with Paramount to complete the remaining steps in this process that will create a leading, next-generation media and entertainment company."

Under the terms of the agreement, Paramount will pay $31.00 per share in cash for all outstanding Warner Bros. shares, implying an equity value of $81 billion -- and $110 billion when including the mountain of debt Paramount will take on.

Paramount made its unsolicited offer for WBD after a contract was already in place for a sale to Neflix, triggering a bidding war that ended when the streaming upstart was unwilling to match its rival's offer.

Questions have pivoted to the Ellison family, which will control a constellation of media properties spanning the globe -- though at the cost of accumulating a pile of debt.

If regulators approve the deal, Paramount chief David Ellison is widely expected to embark on a painful round of cost-cutting to pare down the load.

His father, Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison, one of the world's richest men, largely financed the takeover, offering a financial guarantee that finally persuaded the Warner Bros. board.

Larry Ellison is also a longtime ally of Trump, who said he would weigh in on approval of the buy.

The deal still faces regulatory hurdles. The European Commission is reviewing the merger, as are several US states, including California.

The Paramount offer includes financing from three Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds -- those of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi -- which could also attract extra scrutiny on national security concerns.

- Celebrity ire -

An open letter signed by hundreds of Hollywood heavyweights was published earlier this month opposing the deal.

Actors including Jane Fonda, Joaquin Phoenix and Bryan Cranston, as well as directors JJ Abrams and Denis Villeneuve, are among more than 1,000 people who have added their names to the protest opposing the mega-merger between two of Hollywood's storied studios.

"This transaction would further consolidate an already concentrated media landscape, reducing competition at a moment when our industries -- and the audiences we serve -- can least afford it," the petition said.

"The result will be fewer opportunities for creators, fewer jobs across the production ecosystem, higher costs, and less choice for audiences in the United States and around the world."

Warner Bros. is home to mega-grossing franchises including Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones.

People across Tinseltown fear that the consolidation of two studios will inevitably lead to cuts, especially as the enormous price tag is reportedly set to be financed, meaning the new owners will have to make savings.

"Alarmingly, this merger would reduce the number of major US film studios to just four," the letter said.

Paramount Skydance has pledged to continue cinematic releases at a regular clip.

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The US government on Thursday made it easier for Americans to use cannabis for medical reasons by reclassifying the drug and enabling more research into its safety and efficacy.

Marijuana is now described as having moderate to low addiction potential, "expanding patients' access to treatments and empowering doctors to make better-informed healthcare decisions," acting attorney general Todd Blanche said.

The government appears to be catching up with broad societal shifts in the United States -- adult marijuana use for any reason is legal in 24 states and the US capital, and approved for medicinal use in 40 states.

Until Thursday, it was still ranked federally as "Schedule I," a category for drugs, including heroin and methamphetamine, with no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.

Marijuana products approved or regulated by federal or state agencies have now been moved to the third rung of a five-level Drug Schedule.

Schedule III substances, which include ketamine and anabolic steroids, are considered to have medical value and less potential for abuse.

The Department of Justice said Thursday's move followed up on President Donald Trump's executive order in December on increasing medical marijuana research.

It also called for expedited hearings beginning in June that would "provide a timely and legally compliant pathway to evaluate broader changes to marijuana's status under federal law," a DOJ statement said.

- 'Begging' for change -

The long-awaited move does not legalize marijuana use in states where it is still banned or sanction its use as a recreational drug.

But Trump in December said it would make it better available for "legitimate medical uses" such as for people with cancer and chronic pain.

"We have people begging for me to do this. People that are in great pain," Trump said in the Oval Office.

Trump, who was surrounded by white-coated medical experts for the announcement, added that the order "is not the legalization" of marijuana.

The 79-year-old teetotaler added: "I've always told my children, don't take drugs, no drinking, no smoking, and just stay away from drugs."

US presidents cannot unilaterally reclassify a drug. Trump's order directed the Department of Justice to expedite the process.

Democrat Joe Biden's administration pursued reclassification, but efforts were not completed before Trump took office in early 2025.

The US has a patchwork of state-level regulations regarding the commercial distribution, recreational possession and personal cultivation of cannabis. 

The government's move is aimed at lowering barriers to research, as authorizing clinical studies on Schedule I substances can require many layers of approval.

"These actions will enable more targeted, rigorous research into marijuana's safety and efficacy," Blanche said.

It could also be a major tax boost for companies that legally grow and sell cannabis.

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(The Center Square) – The Department of Justice’s indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center will “increase public scrutiny” of the tax-exempt organization, which has nearly $800 million in assets, a research analyst says.

Senior research analyst at American think tank Capital Research Center Robert Stilson told The Center Square that “at a minimum,” the Southern Poverty Law Center’s indictment will “further increase public scrutiny of a group whose operations were already deeply controversial.”

“Americans might rightly question whether what the SPLC does is aligned with their own understanding of what charities should be doing with their tax-exempt dollars – and this was true before any of the alleged actions in the indictment came to light,” Stilson said.

As The Center Square reported Tuesday, the SPLC was indicted by the Department of Justice “on 11 counts of wire and bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.” The DOJ accuses the organization of secretly funding extremist groups in order to manufacture "the extremism it purports to oppose by paying sources to stoke racial hatred.”

"SPLC created bank accounts in the name of at least five completely fictitious organizations that had no bona fide employees or legitimate business purpose,” Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said. “The money was passed from SPLC to one sham account, to a second sham account, and then loaded onto prepaid cards to give to the members of the extremist groups. This was designed to shield the source of those funds, and because of this, SPLC is also charged with one count ... of conspiracy to commit money laundering."

The DOJ’s indictment alleges those groups include the Ku Klux Klan, the Aryan Nation, and the National Alliance.

“One troubling example, is the SPLC was paying a member of the leadership group that planned the Unite the Right protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, that resulted in the death of one person, and injured dozens more,” Blanche said. The  indictment alleges that SPLC paid an organizer of the protest about $270,000 over the course of eight years.

Although this information was “unbeknownst to donors” previously, the DOJ said, Stilson has noted in the past the bias embedded throughout the SPLC, stating that “its activities are highly controversial and divisive.”

Stilson added: “For context, it is important to recall just how incredibly wealthy the SPLC is.”

“Its most recent financials disclosed net assets of over $786 million, with annual revenues that exceed some of the best-known charities in the country,” Stilson said.

“Despite this, it continues to strenuously solicit money from small-dollar donors on its website,” Stilson said. “Those ordinary donors in particular are the ones who should be taking a hard look at the true nature of the group they are supporting.”

Stilson has written in the past on the “extraordinary” wealth of the SPLC. 

The SPLC’s Form 990 for the fiscal year ending in October 2024 “disclosed an astonishing $786.7 million in net assets” – an amount that is “wealthier than many colleges and universities,” Stilson wrote.

Additionally, the SPLC’s total revenues in 2024 were $129 million, “mostly from contributions and grants,” a number that was down from 2023’s “record-breaking haul of $169.8 million,” Stilson wrote.

“To put that number in perspective, the combined 2023 revenue of Alabama’s eight regional food banks associated with Feeding America — which collectively serve the entire state — was $183.6 million,” Stilson wrote.

Stilson conceded that many nonprofits are highly biased, but that “what truly sets the [SPLC] apart is how phenomenally wealthy it has become in doing so.”

Blanche along with FBI director Kash Patel announced the indictment “from a grand jury in the middle district of Alabama,” The Center Square reported.

Controversial rapper Kanye West, also known as Ye, will hold a concert in Prague in July, Zuzana Rambova, director of the Chuchle Arena racecourse hosting the event, said on Thursday.

The US rapper is known for glorifying Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and for antisemitic and hate-filled rants which he blames on having bipolar disorder.

"He will perform on July 25," Rambova told AFP without giving further details.

Czech media said the concert was organised by the HUGO Production company, which is owned by a 20-year-old Slovak, Hugo Varga, according to the Czech Company Register.

West, who has legally changed his name to the shorthand "Ye", is planning a European comeback tour in June and July.

But his plans have stumbled on opposition as the British government said it would not allow him into the country for three concerts at the Wireless Festival in Finsbury Park, London in July.

The mayor of Marseille in France has said the rapper was "not welcome" for a June concert there, while Dutch Asylum and Migration Minister Bart van den Brink said he would not bar West from the Netherlands where he is due to perform in early June.

West was due to perform at the Rubicon rap festival in Bratislava in neighbouring Slovakia last year.

But the organisers cancelled the event after he had released a song called "Heil Hitler" on May 8, 2025, the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. 

Thousands of people petitioned against the Slovak gig of the 48-year-old rapper, who has won 24 Grammy Awards over the course of his career.

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The happiest cities in America in 2026, ranked across 11 factors

Happiness may not be easy to quantify, but some qualifiers may make a person more likely to feel satisfied in life. A reasonable degree of financial freedom can alleviate worry about day-to-day costs and the occasional unexpected expense. Similarly, good relationships, overall health and longevity, basic conveniences, and privacy can go a long way in keeping stress down and contentment up. While none of these things alone are the secret to happiness, they may all individually contribute to a life geared toward wants rather than needs — freeing up time and resources for individuals to explore and build a life on their own terms.

With this in mind, SmartAsset ranked 85 of the largest U.S. cities with available data based on 11 happiness factors spanning personal finance, physical and mental well-being, and quality of life factors.

Key Findings

• Arlington, VA, ranks as the happiest city for 2026. Arlington ranks among the top five cities for a variety of happiness metrics, including life expectancy (83.9 years), household earnings over $100,000 (64.3%), mentally healthy days (84.9%), adults getting exercise (83%), and access to activity spaces (100%).
• Fremont, CA, households outearn their peers. Ranking second overall for happiest cities, 70.7% of Fremont households earn over $100,000, the most studywide. This pairs with the lowest poverty rate of 4.7%. However, 18.1% of households in Fremont end up spending 50% or more of their income on housing. In tandem, the population maintains the highest rate of health insurance coverage and marriage, at 98.1% and 63.8%, respectively.
• Austin, TX, has the least traffic. The traffic volume per meter in Austin, Texas — a practice ground for many autonomous vehicle companies — is lowest studywide at 42.1. This pales in comparison to Boston, which has over 40 times the traffic volume per meter at 1753.9. The average traffic volume per meter is 299.
• Residents have the most mentally healthy days in Honolulu. Ranking 16th happiest overall, Honolulu residents feel mentally healthy for 85.2% of days. San Jose, California, follows closely at 85% mentally healthy days. On the other end of the spectrum, the residents of Toledo, Ohio, have the worst mental health ranking, at 78.2% of days spent mentally healthy.
• These California cities have the most overcrowding in housing. Privacy and space can go a long way in making a person comfortable in their own space, and can be indicative of financial resources. In Long Beach, Los Angeles, and Fresno, just over 10% of households are home to more than one person per bedroom. Laredo, Texas, also falls into this category of high overcrowding. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh has the lowest rate of overcrowding at 0.9%.

Top 25 Happiest Cities

1. Arlington, VA

• Households earning $100k+: 64.3%
• Poverty rate: 8.3%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 14.2%
• Poor mental health days: 15.1%
• Life expectancy (years): 83.9
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 83%
• Population with health insurance: 93.9%
• Marriage rate: 44.2%
• Traffic volume per meter: 540
• Access to activity space: 100%
• Overcrowded households: 3.4%

2. Fremont, CA

• Households earning $100k+: 70.7%
• Poverty rate: 4.7%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 18.1%
• Poor mental health days: 17.8%
• Life expectancy (years): 82
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 81.2%
• Population with health insurance: 98.1%
• Marriage rate: 63.8%
• Traffic volume per meter: 683
• Access to activity space: 99.6%
• Overcrowded households: 7.7%

3. San Jose, CA

• Households earning $100k+: 64.2%
• Poverty rate: 8.1%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 15.7%
• Poor mental health days: 15%
• Life expectancy (years): 83.8
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 80.9%
• Population with health insurance: 95.6%
• Marriage rate: 48.6%
• Traffic volume per meter: 626.4
• Access to activity space: 99.4%
• Overcrowded households: 7.9%

4. Seattle, WA

• Households earning $100k+: 57.1%
• Poverty rate: 9.4%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 15%
• Poor mental health days: 16.6%
• Life expectancy (years): 81.1
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 86.7%
• Population with health insurance: 96.3%
• Marriage rate: 39.5%
• Traffic volume per meter: 333
• Access to activity space: 97.9%
• Overcrowded households: 3.9%

5. Raleigh, NC

• Households earning $100k+: 43%
• Poverty rate: 13.3%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 12%
• Poor mental health days: 15.7%
• Life expectancy (years): 81
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 84.2%
• Population with health insurance: 92.9%
• Marriage rate: 38.8%
• Traffic volume per meter: 111.6
• Access to activity space: 98.6%
• Overcrowded households: 2%

6. Boise, ID

• Households earning $100k+: 39.9%
• Poverty rate: 12.9%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 10.9%
• Poor mental health days: 17.1%
• Life expectancy (years): 79.7
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 82.4%
• Population with health insurance: 93.1%
• Marriage rate: 44.2%
• Traffic volume per meter: 116.7
• Access to activity space: 91.6%
• Overcrowded households: 1.9%

7. Lincoln, NE

• Households earning $100k+: 33.5%
• Poverty rate: 13.4%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 12.6%
• Poor mental health days: 15.3%
• Life expectancy (years): 79.1
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 78.9%
• Population with health insurance: 93.4%
• Marriage rate: 47%
• Traffic volume per meter: 211.1
• Access to activity space: 95.4%
• Overcrowded households: 2.2%

8. Anchorage, AK

• Households earning $100k+: 53.9%
• Poverty rate: 8.3%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 13.2%
• Poor mental health days: 16.3%
• Life expectancy (years): 76.3
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 80.1%
• Population with health insurance: 90.6%
• Marriage rate: 48.7%
• Traffic volume per meter: 152.3
• Access to activity space: 93.9%
• Overcrowded households: 4.5%

9. San Francisco, CA

• Households earning $100k+: 61%
• Poverty rate: 11.3%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 16.9%
• Poor mental health days: 16.6%
• Life expectancy (years): 82.4
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 83.6%
• Population with health insurance: 97.2%
• Marriage rate: 39.1%
• Traffic volume per meter: 794
• Access to activity space: 100%
• Overcrowded households: 6.8%

10. Minneapolis, MN

• Households earning $100k+: 40.3%
• Poverty rate: 15.1%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 13.4%
• Poor mental health days: 16.1%
• Life expectancy (years): 79.5
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 83.3%
• Population with health insurance: 94.3%
• Marriage rate: 34%
• Traffic volume per meter: 304.6
• Access to activity space: 99.1%
• Overcrowded households: 2.7%

11. Colorado Springs, CO

• Households earning $100k+: 41.6%
• Poverty rate: 8.8%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 14.4%
• Poor mental health days: 18.4%
• Life expectancy (years): 76.2
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 81.5%
• Population with health insurance: 91.5%
• Marriage rate: 52.6%
• Traffic volume per meter: 140.9
• Access to activity space: 89.8%
• Overcrowded households: 2.5%

12. Aurora, CO

• Households earning $100k+: 46.4%
• Poverty rate: 10.7%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 15.6%
• Poor mental health days: 17.1%
• Life expectancy (years): 79.1
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 82.4%
• Population with health insurance: 85.6%
• Marriage rate: 44.9%
• Traffic volume per meter: 215.2
• Access to activity space: 97.5%
• Overcrowded households: 3%

13. Charlotte, NC

• Households earning $100k+: 43.7%
• Poverty rate: 11.9%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 14.3%
• Poor mental health days: 16.3%
• Life expectancy (years): 78.8
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 81.1%
• Population with health insurance: 87.9%
• Marriage rate: 40.4%
• Traffic volume per meter: 165.5
• Access to activity space: 88.7%
• Overcrowded households: 2.3%

14. Omaha, NE

• Households earning $100k+: 35.5%
• Poverty rate: 14.2%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 13.1%
• Poor mental health days: 15.9%
• Life expectancy (years): 77.7
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 75.7%
• Population with health insurance: 91.2%
• Marriage rate: 44.3%
• Traffic volume per meter: 214.9
• Access to activity space: 97.4%
• Overcrowded households: 2.1%

15. Chula Vista, CA

• Households earning $100k+: 52%
• Poverty rate: 9.6%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 20.8%
• Poor mental health days: 17.3%
• Life expectancy (years): 80.3
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 81.7%
• Population with health insurance: 94.8%
• Marriage rate: 50.2%
• Traffic volume per meter: 440.1
• Access to activity space: 97.5%
• Overcrowded households: 6.9%

16. Honolulu, HI

• Households earning $100k+: 44.5%
• Poverty rate: 10.5%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 19.4%
• Poor mental health days: 14.8%
• Life expectancy (years): 81.7
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 77.8%
• Population with health insurance: 96.8%
• Marriage rate: 45.1%
• Traffic volume per meter: 536.2
• Access to activity space: 96.6%
• Overcrowded households: 8.7%

17. San Diego, CA

• Households earning $100k+: 55.3%
• Poverty rate: 10.4%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 20.8%
• Poor mental health days: 17.3%
• Life expectancy (years): 80.3
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 81.7%
• Population with health insurance: 94.3%
• Marriage rate: 43.9%
• Traffic volume per meter: 440.1
• Access to activity space: 97.5%
• Overcrowded households: 6.9%

18. Lexington, KY

• Households earning $100k+: 34.2%
• Poverty rate: 12.1%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 14.7%
• Poor mental health days: 17.4%
• Life expectancy (years): 76.7
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 77.1%
• Population with health insurance: 91.9%
• Marriage rate: 42.5%
• Traffic volume per meter: 163.7
• Access to activity space: 97.4%
• Overcrowded households: 2.2%

19. Mesa, AZ

• Households earning $100k+: 41.9%
• Poverty rate: 10.8%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 14.2%
• Poor mental health days: 18.2%
• Life expectancy (years): 77.5
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 78%
• Population with health insurance: 89%
• Marriage rate: 48.5%
• Traffic volume per meter: 244.2
• Access to activity space: 92.8%
• Overcrowded households: 4.4%

20. Pittsburgh, PA

• Households earning $100k+: 33.2%
• Poverty rate: 20.1%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 11.9%
• Poor mental health days: 17.9%
• Life expectancy (years): 76.9
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 79%
• Population with health insurance: 96%
• Marriage rate: 33.6%
• Traffic volume per meter: 202.3
• Access to activity space: 93.3%
• Overcrowded households: 0.9%

21. Denver, CO

• Households earning $100k+: 46.8%
• Poverty rate: 12.1%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 16.3%
• Poor mental health days: 18.3%
• Life expectancy (years): 77.4
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 78.8%
• Population with health insurance: 90.7%
• Marriage rate: 40.5%
• Traffic volume per meter: 415.7
• Access to activity space: 99.1%
• Overcrowded households: 3.1%

22. Oakland, CA

• Households earning $100k+: 51.2%
• Poverty rate: 11.9%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 18.1%
• Poor mental health days: 17.8%
• Life expectancy (years): 82
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 81.2%
• Population with health insurance: 94.1%
• Marriage rate: 38.3%
• Traffic volume per meter: 683
• Access to activity space: 99.6%
• Overcrowded households: 7.7%

23. Spokane, WA

• Households earning $100k+: 38.4%
• Poverty rate: 12.7%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 13.9%
• Poor mental health days: 19.9%
• Life expectancy (years): 76.9
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 79.6%
• Population with health insurance: 93.7%
• Marriage rate: 41.9%
• Traffic volume per meter: 150.4
• Access to activity space: 87.6%
• Overcrowded households: 2.1%

24. Atlanta, GA

• Households earning $100k+: 45.4%
• Poverty rate: 15.8%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 17.3%
• Poor mental health days: 15.9%
• Life expectancy (years): 77.5
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 80%
• Population with health insurance: 91.4%
• Marriage rate: 31.8%
• Traffic volume per meter: 384
• Access to activity space: 93.8%
• Overcrowded households: 2%

25. Henderson, NV

• Households earning $100k+: 48.3%
• Poverty rate: 8.8%
• Households spending >50% of income on housing: 18.5%
• Poor mental health days: 18.4%
• Life expectancy (years): 76.6
• Percent of adults getting exercise: 73%
• Population with health insurance: 94.2%
• Marriage rate: 48%
• Traffic volume per meter: 196.6
• Access to activity space: 95.7%
• Overcrowded households: 4.4%

Data and Methodology

Eighty-five of the largest U.S. cities for which data was available were evaluated across three categories: personal finance, well-being, and quality of life. Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau 1-Year American Community Survey for 2024 and the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps for 2025.

Personal finance metrics included:

• Percent of individuals earning $100,000 or more.
• Percent of households that spend 50% or more of their income on housing.
• Percent of residents below the poverty level.

Well-being metrics include:

• Average percentage of days spent with poor mental health
• Life expectancy in years.
• Percentage of residents getting exercise.
• Percentage of residents who have health insurance.

Quality of life metrics include:

• Marriage rate.
• Average traffic volume per meter of major roadways in the county.
• Percentage of population with adequate access to locations for physical activity.
• Percentage of households with overcrowding, defined as more than one person living in a room.

This story was produced by SmartAsset and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.