5 Most, Least Happy US States

Everything is awesome in Minnesota; not so much in West Virginia
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 11, 2017 1:00 PM CDT
5 Most, Least Happy US States
Everything is awesome wherever these folks are from.   (Getty Images/gpointstudio)

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands—especially if you're from Minnesota. The North Star State ranks highest in WalletHub's "Happiest States in America" list, which looked at all 50 across three main metrics: how emotionally and physically well its citizens are, work environment, and community gauges such as average leisure time and the volunteerism rate. The state that fared the worst: West Virginia. Here, the happiest five states and the five more dour ones, along with each state's overall "happiness" score (out of 100):

Most Happy:

  1. Minnesota; 71
  2. Utah; 68
  3. Hawaii; 68
  4. California; 67
  5. Nebraska; 66
Least Happy:
  1. West Virginia; 35
  2. Oklahoma; 35
  3. Louisiana; 35
  4. Alabama; 37
  5. Arkansas; 37
See how ecstatic (or not) your state is here. (How happy you are as a woman in each state could depend on these findings.)

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