Hawaii Wins Title as ‘Happiest State in the US’ – And We’re Not Surprised!
Personal finance website WalletHub releases its ranking of the happiest states in the U.S. and the Aloha State takes top honors.
WalletHub’s new report – 2022’s Happiest States in America – reveals where Americans have the highest satisfaction with life! The personal finance website compared the 50 states across three key pillars: emotional & physical well-being, work environment, and community & environment. These pillars or dimensions were evaluated using 30 key indicators of happiness, which included each state’s share of adult depression, adequate sleep rate, sports participation rate, suicide rate, work hours, and income growth, and safety.
When the final tally was in, Hawaii outranked other U.S. states for the No. 1 spot! Ok, we know this revelation is probably not a surprise to most vacationers especially because of its reputation as a tropical paradise. And we can clearly see why the depression rate would be lower for residents living on an LGBTQ+-friendly Hawaiian island where beach, sun, and surf are a way of life. Oh, and by the way, there’s also no shortage of LGBTQ+ things to do and see, especially on Oahu!
Maryland, Minnesota, Utah, and yep, New Jersey are the top five happiest states; whereas Alabama, Kentucky, Arkansas, Louisiana, and West Virginia round out the bottom of the list.
Best vs. Worst
- Hawaii has the lowest share of adult depression, 12.90 percent, which is 2.1 times lower than in West Virginia, the state with the highest at 27.20 percent.
- New Jersey has the fewest suicides (per 100,000 residents), 7, which is 4.4 times fewer than in Wyoming, the state with the most at 31.
- Utah has the highest volunteer rate, 51.20 percent, which is two times higher than in New York, the state where the rate is the lowest at 25.00 percent.
- Utah has the lowest separation and divorce rate, 15.63 percent, which is 1.7 times lower than in Nevada, the state with the highest at 25.79 percent.
| Happiest States in America | ||
| 1. Hawaii | 11. Virginia | |
| 2. Maryland | 12. South Dakota | |
| 3. Minnesota | 13. North Dakota | |
| 4. Utah | 14. Massachusetts | |
| 5. New Jersey | 15. New Hampshire | |
| 6. Idaho | 16. Iowa | |
| 7. California | 17. Delaware | |
| 8. Illinois | 18. Florida | |
| 9. Nebraska | 19. Georgia | |
| 10. Connecticut | 20. North Carolina |
Click here for WalletHub’s full report on 2022’s Happiest States in the U.S.
