There are 50 states in the United States, and deciding which one you want to call home can be a bit of a chore. For the most part, all of the different states in the country have their unique pros and cons that make them hard to rank against each other objectively. However, people are always trying their best to come up with a metric that will allow people to decide which state is right for them. One of the most popular metrics that has been made available ranks states based on how “happy” they are. From Hawaii to Connecticut, join ViewCation as we explore the happiest states in the U.S.
What Makes a State Happy?
As compared to other metrics that have been used over time to rank the various states that comprise America, the happiness metric that has recently become popularized via a study from WalletHub isn’t quit so black and white. Other popular metrics that have been used to rank states against each other include such things as average income and unemployment rate, which are much easier to quantity. When determined the happiest states in America, WalletHub has used several different metrics combined together.
With WalletHub’s happiness metric, all of the various things that make a state a good or bad place to live are combined together. This means that, although the happiness metric may seem a little impenetrable, it actually gives a better idea of the overall quality of life within a certain state than the more specific metrics do. The happiness metric takes statistics such as the aforementioned average income and unemployment rate into account, but it also incorporates other important metrics. These other metrics include, among many other things, the rates of divorce and adult depression within the states, as well as the states’ average weather.
The metric that WalletHub has created scores states out of 100, and that state with the highest scores was only awarded 69.58. This furthers the point that all of America’s states have their pros and cons, with none of the states being perfect. Still, there are some that appear to be quite a bit happier than others, and we’ll go through them all here!
Hawaii
It likely won’t come as all that much of a shock that the state in the United States that has been determined to be the “happiest” is also the country’s preeminent vacation destination. The things that make Hawaii such a happy state to live in are the same things that make it a popular place to visit for people the world over. The categories in which Hawaii excels the most are emotional and physical health. Out of all of the states in America, Hawaii boasts the second-lowest levels of adult depression. Other areas where the state excels include income growth rate and divorce rate.
It’s easy to imagine that spending all of your time in sunny Hawaii would do wonders for anyone’s health. With the immense amount of sunshine that the state gets, it’s no wonder that it boasts such an impressive average lifespan. The average lifespan in Hawaii is over 80 years, which is higher than any other state in the United States. The sunshine means lots of physical activity, and the beautiful natural locations of Hawaii form one gigantic playground.
All of these positive aspects of Hawaii make it a great place to live and a great place to visit. However, the state also has it’s flaws. Ironically, many of these flaws are tied into the tourist industry. As one might imagine, Hawaii is a pretty popular place to live. Because of this, the state has a pretty high cost of living. Not only that, but the average wages aren’t very high. Most of the jobs available in Hawaii are related to the tourism industry, and service work isn’t known to pay very well. To make matters worse, the poor service workers are forced all day to watch the wealthy elite.
Utah
If the number-one happiest state in the United States wasn’t a huge surprise, then the second-happiest state in the country may prove a bit more of a shocker. Utah holds this designation, with the state’s most winning attribute being it’s pervading sense of community. Communities keep close in Utah, which makes it an especially great space for families to move to. The state also boasts a high population of Mormons, which means that things stay pretty innocent.
The tight-knit communities in Utah are well-known the whole country over, but a lesser known reason why Utah is such a happy to live is the fact that residents of the state seem to enjoy their work. Not only do Utah residents enjoy their jobs, but they also seem to work fewer hours in general than residents of other states. With statistics like these, it’s pretty hard to generalize. You aren’t suddenly going to have to work fewer hours just because you cross state lines, but it’s nice to know that there’s a worker-friendly culture.
Utah boasts a very high rate of volunteers, which is another metric that’s used by WalletHub to determine how happy a state is. If people are willing to volunteer to make the lives of others better, than it stands to reason that they must be pretty satisfied themselves. The state also boasts the lowest divorce rate in the country, which may have something to do with it’s aforementioned religiosity. Finally, another huge reason why Utah is considered happy is because of the weather. Utah may not be quite as beautiful as Hawaii, but it’s still sunny and warm, with plenty of natural wonders.
Minnesota
Minnesota is ranked the third-happiest state in America, and a big reason why is that it’s considered very safe. It has the second-highest volunteer rate after Utah, as well as a similarly low divorce rate. Unlike the two aforementioned states, Minnesota can get a lot colder during winter, though.
New Jersey
New Jersey is the fourth-happiest state in America, and this state’s super power would be it’s relative lack of depression. The state boasts the lowest adult-depression rates in the country, and well as the lowest rate of suicide. The state is all about having fun, so perhaps this is the secret! Still, New Jersey isn’t a great place to go if you’re looking for work, as it has the second-highest unemployment rate in the country.
he country, but it also has the fight-lowest suicide rate.
California
Given how sunny, warm, and adjacent to the coast it is, some may be surprised to learn that California is only considered the sixth-happiest state in the country. The weather is certainly a big part of what makes the state such a happy place, but there are also some other factors that make California ranked high in this list. Namely, residents of the state seem to work significantly less than in other states.
North Dakota
North Dakota is the seventh-happiest state in the United States, and the thing that makes this state standout would have to be it’s work culture. The state is known for garnering positive work environments, and it also has the lowest unemployment rate in the country. Other things that make North Dakota stand out include the fact that it has a low divorce rate, as well as plenty of available work hours.
Iowa
Like North Dakota, Iowa is a state that is considered happy predominantly because of the generally positive work environments that it garners. Iowa has a low unemployment rate, and it also has a pretty high volunteer rate.
Idaho
Idaho is considered to be the ninth-happiest state in America, and this state has some pretty unique reasons for placing on this list. Like many of the previously mentioned states, Idaho seems like it’s generally kind to workers, and it also seems as if the state is pretty community-oriented. However, a unique thing that makes Idaho standout from other states on this list would be it’s sleep rate. As compared to other states in the country, Idaho is considered to have the sixth-healthiest sleep rate. This leads to adults that are free from depression and anxious to volunteer! The state boasts the 13-th highest volunteer rate in the country.
Connecticut
Finally, let’s take a look at Connecticut. Connecticut may have placed last on this list at number ten, but there are still forty states that it beat out! There are numerous reasons that Connecticut is considered the 10th-happiest state in the country to live. For starters, like Hawaii, the state excels in the categories of emotional and physical health. The state is also tied with California in as much as it seems that residents don’t have to work very many hours. A more unique thing that makes Connecticut such a happy place to live is the fact that the state boasts an exceptionally low crime rate. It may be considered only the 10th-happiest state overall, but it has the sixth-lowest crime rate.
There are many different metrics that you can use to determine which state is the right one for you, but WalletHub’s happiness metric does it’s best to tie all of them together. Now it’s time to hear from you: did you know that New Jersey boasts the lowest suicide rate in the United States, and that the happiest state in the country is Hawaii? Comment down below!