Happiness is said to be a state of mind—but what state you're in could affect that state. WalletHub wanted to find out where people in the US are at their most content, especially in the wake of the worst of the pandemic and amid new stressors like inflation. And so it looked at all 50 states across 30 metrics, in three main categories: emotional and physical well-being, which includes such factors as life expectancy, alcohol use, social and career health, and share of adult depression; work environment (ie, unemployment rate, number of hours worked, and commute times); and community and environment, which takes into account such factors as safety, volunteerism rates, and weather. Hawaii tops the rankings, while West Virginia comes in last. Here, the top and bottom 10 states:
Happiest States
- Hawaii (No. 1 in "Emotional & Physical Well-Being" category)
- Maryland
- Minnesota
- Utah (No. 1 in "Work Environment," "Community and Environment" categories)
- New Jersey
- Idaho
- California
- Illinois
- Nebraska
- Connecticut
Least Happy States - Missouri
- New Mexico
- Tennessee
- Oklahoma
- Mississippi (last in "Work Environment" category)
- Alabama
- Kentucky
- Arkansas
- Louisiana
- West Virginia (last in "Emotional & Physical Well-Being" category)
Check out the full list
here. (
These are the best states to live in overall.)