From Business Insider · Roya Shahidi · · 1m 10s
Every US state, ranked by happiness
WalletHub analyzed 30 metrics across all 50 states to measure resident well-being and life satisfaction.
In brief
WalletHub analyzed 30 metrics across all 50 states to measure resident well-being and life satisfaction. Happiness depends on measurable factors like financial security, healthcare access, work hours, and community safety, not just attitude. Originally reported by Business Insider.
What makes states happy
Happiness isn't just attitude. Financial security, healthcare access, and community all shape how satisfied residents feel about their lives.
How WalletHub measured it
The study ranked all 50 states across three categories: emotional and physical well-being, work environment, and community and environment using 30 metrics on a 100-point scale.
Well-being metrics matter most
Emotional and physical well-being was the most heavily weighted category, measuring career satisfaction, physical health, depression rates, and life expectancy.
Work and income count
Work environment metrics included average work hours and the share of households earning above $75,000 annually, showing financial stability matters for happiness.
Community shapes satisfaction
Community and environment metrics tracked weather quality, daily leisure time, and safety levels, recognizing that surroundings influence overall well-being.
Data from trusted sources
WalletHub used data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Gallup to ensure the rankings reflected real conditions across all states.
Here's the gist
Happiness depends on measurable factors like financial security, healthcare access, work hours, and community safety, not just attitude.
