Happiest States 2024

Total Score

Economic Well-being

Family & Relationships

Physical & Mental Well-being

Environmental & Societal Wellness

Happiness Index Score

1.	North Dakota	73.2
2.	New Hampshire	72.3
3.	Wyoming	72
4.	South Dakota	70.8
5.	Idaho	70.6
6.	Iowa	70.6
7.	Hawaii	70.2
8.	Nebraska	69.7
9.	Minnesota	69.2
10.	Vermont	68.9
11.	Connecticut	68.9
12.	Virginia	68.9
13.	Utah	68.1
14.	Wisconsin	67.9
15.	Kansas	67.6
16.	New Jersey	67.2
17.	Massachusetts	66.9
18.	Rhode Island	66.3
19.	Delaware	65.4
20.	Maine	65.4
21.	Maryland	65.2
22.	Montana	64.3
23.	Florida	63.5
24.	Colorado	63.3
25.	Pennsylvania	63
26.	Texas	63
27.	New York	62.9
28.	Michigan	62.1
29.	Illinois	61.9
30.	Georgia	61.7
31.	Oregon	61.6
32.	Washington	61.5
33.	Alaska	61.2
34.	Arizona	60.5
35.	North Carolina	60.4
36.	Ohio	60.3
37.	California	59
38.	Indiana	58.7
39.	Nevada	57.3
40.	South Carolina	56.7
41.	Missouri	55.8
42.	Alabama	54.5
43.	Kentucky	54.3
44.	Mississippi	54.2
45.	Tennessee	53.9
46.	West Virginia	53.4
47.	New Mexico	53.3
48.	Louisiana	52.7
49.	Oklahoma	52.6
50.	Arkansas	52.4

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Interactive Map
The Pursuit of Happiness: A State-by-State Analysis
By Region
Table

The Pursuit of Happiness: A State-by-State Analysis

How does happiness vary across the 50 states of America? Is living in North Dakota fundamentally happier than living in Arkansas? Our perception of happiness is influenced by various internal and external factors. To understand and measure this elusive emotion, we need to consider an array of factors such as emotional & physical well-being, job security, income growth, work environment, and even the climate. To delve into this intriguing topic, we created a 'Happiness Score'. This score is a reflection of the state's performance across the three major categories: Emotional & Physical Well-Being, Work Environment, and Community & Environment.

North Dakota tops the list, dubbed the 'Happiest State', with a score of 73.2.
In general, states in the northern part of the country, including New Hampshire, Wyoming, and South Dakota, scored highly, indicating a higher level of happiness among their residents when compared to their counterparts in the south.
Hawaii stands out as an exception to the trend of Northern dominance, securing a seventh position on the list, owing largely to its unique mix of natural beauty and quality of life factors.
At the other end of the spectrum, Southern states like Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana scored the lowest, suggesting residents there face more challenges in maintaining optimal emotional & physical well-being, job satisfaction, and a favorable work and community environment.
There's a large disparity in scores between the happiest state (North Dakota) and the least happy state (Arkansas) – a difference of around 21 points, demonstrating significant regional differences in happiness levels across America.

By Region

Alabama

See Less

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

54.5

#42

Economic Well-being

18.5

#40

Family & Relationships

11.4

#36

Physical & Mental Well-being

18.6

#37

Environmental & Societal Wellness

8.6

#45

Alaska

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

61.2

#33

Economic Well-being

20.7

#14

Family & Relationships

14.5

Physical & Mental Well-being

19.1

#32

Environmental & Societal Wellness

#18

Arizona

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

60.5

#34

Economic Well-being

18.6

#38

Family & Relationships

10.2

#50

Physical & Mental Well-being

#43

Environmental & Societal Wellness

11.9

#20

Arkansas

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

52.4

#50

Economic Well-being

19.4

#30

Family & Relationships

12.4

#30

Physical & Mental Well-being

20.2

#25

Environmental & Societal Wellness

10.4

#35

California

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

#37

Economic Well-being

15.6

#50

Family & Relationships

10.6

#45

Physical & Mental Well-being

14.8

#46

Environmental & Societal Wellness

7.6

#49

Colorado

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

63.3

#24

Economic Well-being

20.5

#16

Family & Relationships

13.6

#17

Physical & Mental Well-being

22.2

Environmental & Societal Wellness

12.6

#10

Connecticut

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

68.9

#11

Economic Well-being

19.8

#24

Family & Relationships

13.6

#18

Physical & Mental Well-being

22.7

Environmental & Societal Wellness

10.8

#29

Delaware

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

65.4

#19

Economic Well-being

20.8

#12

Family & Relationships

13.6

#16

Physical & Mental Well-being

20.3

#23

Environmental & Societal Wellness

14.1

Florida

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

63.5

#23

Economic Well-being

16.4

#48

Family & Relationships

11.8

#34

Physical & Mental Well-being

#42

Environmental & Societal Wellness

7.9

#48

Georgia

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

61.7

#30

Economic Well-being

18.7

#37

Family & Relationships

10.8

#43

Physical & Mental Well-being

23.5

Environmental & Societal Wellness

#40

Hawaii

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

70.2

Economic Well-being

17.9

#43

Family & Relationships

10.3

#48

Physical & Mental Well-being

13.4

#49

Environmental & Societal Wellness

11.6

#22

Idaho

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

70.6

Economic Well-being

20.2

#18

Family & Relationships

14.2

#10

Physical & Mental Well-being

19.9

#27

Environmental & Societal Wellness

13.1

Illinois

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

61.9

#29

Economic Well-being

19.3

#32

Family & Relationships

11.1

#42

Physical & Mental Well-being

19.2

#31

Environmental & Societal Wellness

11.3

#26

Indiana

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

58.7

#38

Economic Well-being

20.7

#13

Family & Relationships

14.2

Physical & Mental Well-being

19.4

#29

Environmental & Societal Wellness

12.4

#13

Iowa

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

70.6

Economic Well-being

21.9

Family & Relationships

12.9

#24

Physical & Mental Well-being

23.5

Environmental & Societal Wellness

12.6

Kansas

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

67.6

#15

Economic Well-being

Family & Relationships

14.9

Physical & Mental Well-being

21.1

#13

Environmental & Societal Wellness

14.4

Kentucky

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

54.3

#43

Economic Well-being

#34

Family & Relationships

12.6

#27

Physical & Mental Well-being

18.6

#36

Environmental & Societal Wellness

10.6

#33

Louisiana

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

52.7

#48

Economic Well-being

17.1

#46

Family & Relationships

11.4

#39

Physical & Mental Well-being

12.5

#50

Environmental & Societal Wellness

11.6

#23

Maine

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

65.4

#20

Economic Well-being

19.9

#22

Family & Relationships

14.5

Physical & Mental Well-being

#26

Environmental & Societal Wellness

10.4

#36

Maryland

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

65.2

#21

Economic Well-being

19.4

#28

Family & Relationships

13.1

#21

Physical & Mental Well-being

18.4

#38

Environmental & Societal Wellness

#28

Massachusetts

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

66.9

#17

Economic Well-being

19.9

#21

Family & Relationships

12.7

#26

Physical & Mental Well-being

21.6

#10

Environmental & Societal Wellness

11.5

#24

Michigan

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

62.1

#28

Economic Well-being

19.5

#27

Family & Relationships

12.8

#25

Physical & Mental Well-being

18.8

#34

Environmental & Societal Wellness

11.4

#25

Minnesota

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

69.2

Economic Well-being

22.2

Family & Relationships

15.6

Physical & Mental Well-being

#15

Environmental & Societal Wellness

13.7

Mississippi

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

54.2

#44

Economic Well-being

16.7

#47

Family & Relationships

10.3

#49

Physical & Mental Well-being

20.8

#16

Environmental & Societal Wellness

5.9

#50

Missouri

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

55.8

#41

Economic Well-being

20.3

#17

Family & Relationships

13.7

#14

Physical & Mental Well-being

20.5

#20

Environmental & Societal Wellness

12.8

Montana

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

64.3

#22

Economic Well-being

19.4

#29

Family & Relationships

11.6

#35

Physical & Mental Well-being

20.4

#22

Environmental & Societal Wellness

10.6

#31

Nebraska

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

69.7

Economic Well-being

22.1

Family & Relationships

14.3

Physical & Mental Well-being

21.8

Environmental & Societal Wellness

12.5

#11

Nevada

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

57.3

#39

Economic Well-being

#35

Family & Relationships

11.9

#32

Physical & Mental Well-being

21.6

#11

Environmental & Societal Wellness

8.5

#46

New Hampshire

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

72.3

Economic Well-being

21.9

#10

Family & Relationships

14.5

Physical & Mental Well-being

20.6

#19

Environmental & Societal Wellness

12.5

#12

New Jersey

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

67.2

#16

Economic Well-being

18.7

#36

Family & Relationships

12.6

#28

Physical & Mental Well-being

#41

Environmental & Societal Wellness

12.3

#15

New Mexico

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

53.3

#47

Economic Well-being

16.2

#49

Family & Relationships

10.4

#47

Physical & Mental Well-being

13.4

#48

Environmental & Societal Wellness

8.9

#41

New York

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

62.9

#27

Economic Well-being

17.9

#44

Family & Relationships

10.6

#44

Physical & Mental Well-being

16.2

#40

Environmental & Societal Wellness

10.7

#30

North Carolina

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

60.4

#35

Economic Well-being

18.5

#39

Family & Relationships

10.4

#46

Physical & Mental Well-being

18.7

#35

Environmental & Societal Wellness

9.1

#39

North Dakota

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

73.2

Economic Well-being

24.3

Family & Relationships

Physical & Mental Well-being

20.6

#18

Environmental & Societal Wellness

11.2

#27

Ohio

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

60.3

#36

Economic Well-being

19.5

#26

Family & Relationships

13.7

#15

Physical & Mental Well-being

19.7

#28

Environmental & Societal Wellness

11.6

#21

Oklahoma

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

52.6

#49

Economic Well-being

#20

Family & Relationships

13.3

#20

Physical & Mental Well-being

21.1

#14

Environmental & Societal Wellness

10.2

#37

Oregon

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

61.6

#31

Economic Well-being

#42

Family & Relationships

11.4

#38

Physical & Mental Well-being

14.9

#45

Environmental & Societal Wellness

9.7

#38

Pennsylvania

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

#25

Economic Well-being

#19

Family & Relationships

#22

Physical & Mental Well-being

17.5

#39

Environmental & Societal Wellness

Rhode Island

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

66.3

#18

Economic Well-being

19.2

#33

Family & Relationships

11.2

#41

Physical & Mental Well-being

20.5

#21

Environmental & Societal Wellness

8.8

#42

South Carolina

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

56.7

#40

Economic Well-being

18.1

#41

Family & Relationships

11.4

#37

Physical & Mental Well-being

15.4

#44

Environmental & Societal Wellness

8.8

#43

South Dakota

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

70.8

Economic Well-being

21.9

Family & Relationships

13.7

#13

Physical & Mental Well-being

20.7

#17

Environmental & Societal Wellness

12.7

Tennessee

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

53.9

#45

Economic Well-being

19.8

#23

Family & Relationships

12.3

#31

Physical & Mental Well-being

19.2

#30

Environmental & Societal Wellness

12.2

#17

Texas

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

#26

Economic Well-being

19.3

#31

Family & Relationships

11.3

#40

Physical & Mental Well-being

20.3

#24

Environmental & Societal Wellness

11.9

#19

Utah

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

68.1

#13

Economic Well-being

22.6

Family & Relationships

Physical & Mental Well-being

22.4

Environmental & Societal Wellness

10.4

#34

Vermont

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

68.9

#10

Economic Well-being

20.9

#11

Family & Relationships

13.5

#19

Physical & Mental Well-being

21.3

#12

Environmental & Societal Wellness

13.4

Virginia

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

68.9

#12

Economic Well-being

20.6

#15

Family & Relationships

#12

Physical & Mental Well-being

#33

Environmental & Societal Wellness

10.6

#32

Washington

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

61.5

#32

Economic Well-being

19.8

#25

Family & Relationships

12.4

#29

Physical & Mental Well-being

21.8

Environmental & Societal Wellness

8.7

#44

West Virginia

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

53.4

#46

Economic Well-being

17.9

#45

Family & Relationships

11.8

#33

Physical & Mental Well-being

14.3

#47

Environmental & Societal Wellness

#47

Wisconsin

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

67.9

#14

Economic Well-being

Family & Relationships

12.9

#23

Physical & Mental Well-being

27.2

Environmental & Societal Wellness

12.2

#16

Wyoming

Metric

Value

Rank

Total Score

Economic Well-being

22.6

Family & Relationships

14.1

#11

Physical & Mental Well-being

Environmental & Societal Wellness

12.3

#14

Table

Region ↕	Total Score ↕	Economic Well-being ↕	Family & Relationships ↕	Physical & Mental Well-being ↕	Environmental & Societal Wellness ↕
Alabama	54.5	18.5	11.4	18.6	8.6
Alaska	61.2	20.7	14.5	19.1	12
Arizona	60.5	18.6	10.2	16	11.9
Arkansas	52.4	19.4	12.4	20.2	10.4
California	59	15.6	10.6	14.8	7.6
Colorado	63.3	20.5	13.6	22.2	12.6
Connecticut	68.9	19.8	13.6	22.7	10.8
Delaware	65.4	20.8	13.6	20.3	14.1
Florida	63.5	16.4	11.8	16	7.9
Georgia	61.7	18.7	10.8	23.5	9
Hawaii	70.2	17.9	10.3	13.4	11.6
Idaho	70.6	20.2	14.2	19.9	13.1
Illinois	61.9	19.3	11.1	19.2	11.3
Indiana	58.7	20.7	14.2	19.4	12.4
Iowa	70.6	21.9	12.9	23.5	12.6
Kansas	67.6	24	14.9	21.1	14.4
Kentucky	54.3	19	12.6	18.6	10.6
Louisiana	52.7	17.1	11.4	12.5	11.6
Maine	65.4	19.9	14.5	20	10.4
Maryland	65.2	19.4	13.1	18.4	11
Massachusetts	66.9	19.9	12.7	21.6	11.5
Michigan	62.1	19.5	12.8	18.8	11.4
Minnesota	69.2	22.2	15.6	21	13.7
Mississippi	54.2	16.7	10.3	20.8	5.9
Missouri	55.8	20.3	13.7	20.5	12.8
Montana	64.3	19.4	11.6	20.4	10.6
Nebraska	69.7	22.1	14.3	21.8	12.5
Nevada	57.3	19	11.9	21.6	8.5
New Hampshire	72.3	21.9	14.5	20.6	12.5
New Jersey	67.2	18.7	12.6	16	12.3
New Mexico	53.3	16.2	10.4	13.4	8.9
New York	62.9	17.9	10.6	16.2	10.7
North Carolina	60.4	18.5	10.4	18.7	9.1
North Dakota	73.2	24.3	17	20.6	11.2
Ohio	60.3	19.5	13.7	19.7	11.6
Oklahoma	52.6	20	13.3	21.1	10.2
Oregon	61.6	18	11.4	14.9	9.7
Pennsylvania	63	20	13	17.5	15
Rhode Island	66.3	19.2	11.2	20.5	8.8
South Carolina	56.7	18.1	11.4	15.4	8.8
South Dakota	70.8	21.9	13.7	20.7	12.7
Tennessee	53.9	19.8	12.3	19.2	12.2
Texas	63	19.3	11.3	20.3	11.9
Utah	68.1	22.6	16	22.4	10.4
Vermont	68.9	20.9	13.5	21.3	13.4
Virginia	68.9	20.6	14	19	10.6
Washington	61.5	19.8	12.4	21.8	8.7
West Virginia	53.4	17.9	11.8	14.3	8
Wisconsin	67.9	22	12.9	27.2	12.2
Wyoming	72	22.6	14.1	23	12.3

Happiest States

Table of Contents

The Pursuit of Happiness: A State-by-State Analysis

By Region

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Table

Additional Global Rankings

Worst Airports to Fly Out Of

Worst Drivers By State

Worst States To Live In

Best & Worst States for Food

Best State To Teach In

Best States For Education