Ningbo was included in Oriental Outlook magazine's 2022 ranking of the happiest cities in China, according to a forum held in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, on Dec 21.

The city was ranked third, behind Chengdu and Hangzhou, among provincial capitals and cities with independent planning status nationwide, the same as the previous year.

This is the 13th time the city has made the rankings.

Ningbo's three administrative areas - Yinzhou district and the county-level city of Yuyao and Cixi - were listed among the happiest county-level cities (districts) in the nation. 

The cities were selected by Oriental Outlook magazine and the think tank Liaowang Institute, both of which are run by Xinhua News Agency, after a two-month-long evaluation that included big data collection, questionnaires and panel discussions.

The cities were selected for their efforts in improving the well-being of the people and seeking quality development, green development and good governance. The happiness levels are related to local education, employment, income, social welfare, healthcare and living conditions, according to the organizer.

The happiest cities in China have been named every year since 2007.