Happiness is an important factor when considering quality of life. The happiest states tend to have thriving economies, affordable housing, good schools, low crime rates, and plenty of parks, recreation opportunities, and things to do. But how do you quantify and compare happiness across states?
Measuring Happiness
There are a few different ways researchers try to measure happiness and well-being across states:
- Surveys – Asking residents to self-report their happiness levels and life satisfaction.
- Data analysis – Looking at statistics related to things that impact quality of life like income, health, crime, the environment, etc.
- Studying social media – Analyzing the language used in social media posts for indicators of positive or negative sentiment.
By combining survey data with statistical data on factors that influence quality of life, researchers can get a broad picture of which states have the happiest residents.
The Happiest States in 2022
According to the 2022 World Happiness Report, which analyzed survey results from around the world, there was a four-way tie for the happiest state in the U.S. Hawaii, Maryland, Minnesota, and Utah all came out on top.
Some key factors these states have in common:
- Low poverty rates
- Low rates of depression
- High life expectancy
- Strong social connections and community
Their residents also self-reported high levels of positive emotions like laughter, as well as overall life satisfaction.
Breakdown by Region
When you break it down by region, patterns emerge in terms of where the happiest states are concentrated:
- Northeast – Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York
- Midwest – Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota
- South – Louisiana, North Carolina, Texas
- West – California, Colorado, Hawaii
Some researchers theorize the colder northern states trend happier because their residents are more resilient and community-focused. Warmer southern states may enable more outdoor recreation year-round, contributing to happiness.
The Least Happy States
On the other end of the scale, which states have the unhappiest residents? Here are the bottom 10, starting with the least happy:
- West Virginia
- Oklahoma
- Alabama
- Kentucky
- Mississippi
- Arkansas
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Louisiana
- Tennessee
Many of these states struggle with poverty, unemployment, low household incomes, poor health outcomes, and lack of community engagement. Rates of depression tend to be higher as well.
Key Factors
Factors that negatively impact happiness levels in the unhappiest states:
- Poverty – Difficult to be happy when struggling to afford basic necessities.
- Unemployment – Lack of stable work causes financial and emotional distress.
- Poor health – Prevalent obesity, heart disease, diabetes, disability, and substance abuse.
- Community disengagement – Less civic participation and weak social ties.
Addressing these systemic issues could help boost happiness over the long term. But it takes considerable effort and investment of resources to truly move the needle at a state population level.
Changes Over Time
State happiness levels can fluctuate over time as economic and social factors evolve. For example, here are some notable changes in state rankings between 2018 and 2022:
| State | 2018 Rank | 2022 Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | #6 | #1 (tie) |
| Utah | #18 | #1 (tie) |
| Oklahoma | #28 | #49 |
| Arkansas | #47 | #46 |
Hawaii and Utah both made big jumps up into the top happiest states. Some possible reasons:
- Hawaii – Booming tourism improved the economy after pandemic declines.
- Utah – Tech sector and job growth especially in urban areas.
Oklahoma and Arkansas remained near the bottom. Contributing factors may include:
- Oklahoma – Declining oil industry and related job losses.
- Arkansas – Continued high poverty and low healthcare access.
This shows how external events like natural disasters, recessions, pandemics, and industry changes can quickly impact a state’s happiness levels and rankings.
How States Can Improve Happiness
For states currently on the lower end of the happiness scale, there are steps governments can take to try to create an environment more conducive to resident well-being:
- Support job growth and training – Develop skilled workforces for emerging industries.
- Invest in public education – Fund quality schools, teachers, and resources.
- Expand healthcare access – Get more residents insured and accessing preventive services.
- Reduce inequality – Close income and opportunity gaps across demographics.
- Fund arts and culture – Enable creative outlets and community events.
Individuals can also take steps like practicing gratitude, engaging with their neighborhoods, spending time outdoors, prioritizing relationships, and finding purpose in causes bigger than oneself.
The Role of Government
Governments play an important role in cultivating happiness. Ways they can lead initiatives to support well-being include:
- Measuring citizen life satisfaction through surveys.
- Emphasizing happiness and health in policy decisions.
- Allocating funds to improve public spaces and recreation.
- Supporting community events and engagement programs.
- Providing resources to enable healthy behaviors.
Good governance focused on human-centric policies and developing high-quality social institutions helps create the conditions for people to thrive.
The Happiness Landscape Continues Evolving
As we’ve seen, there are clear regional trends in terms of where the happiest and unhappiest states currently are. But the specific state rankings are not set in stone. They fluctuate over time as economic, social, environmental, and political factors evolve.
Governments play a key role in developing policies and programs that enable happiness and health to flourish. But individuals also have power to improve well-being through our everyday choices and community participation.
The happiness landscape will continue changing in coming years. But by identifying best practices from the consistently happiest places, other states can glean valuable insights on creating an environment where residents are satisfied, fulfilled, and content with the quality of life.
Conclusion
Measuring something as subjective as happiness is challenging, but valuable data emerges when surveys, statistics, and social media sentiment analysis are combined. In 2022, Hawaii, Maryland, Minnesota, and Utah are the happiest US states based on factors like low poverty, strong communities, and residents’ positive self-reported well-being. West Virginia, Oklahoma, Alabama, Kentucky, and Mississippi rank lowest primarily due to high poverty, unemployment, and poor health. Rankings fluctuate over time as economic and social factors evolve. While governments play a crucial role through human-centric policies, individuals also have power to improve personal and community well-being. Identifying practices from the happiest places can guide other states in creating the conditions and opportunities for residents to thrive.