| 2021’s Happiest States in America – WalletHub Study |
With 4 in 10 adults having reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic, the personal-finance website today released its report on 2021’s Happiest States in America, as well as accompanying videos and expert commentary.
To determine where Americans have the highest satisfaction with life, WalletHub compared the 50 states across 31 key indicators of happiness. The data set ranges from the depression rate and the positive COVID-19 testing rate to income growth and the unemployment rate.
| Happiest States in America |
| 1. Utah |
11. Connecticut |
| 2. Minnesota |
12. Vermont |
| 3. Hawaii |
13. Washington |
| 4. California |
14. Nebraska |
| 5. North Dakota |
15. Iowa |
| 6. South Dakota |
16. Wisconsin |
| 7. Idaho |
17. Virginia |
| 8. Maryland |
18. New York |
| 9. New Jersey |
19. New Hampshire |
| 10. Massachusetts |
20. Maine |
Best vs. Worst
- New Jersey has the lowest share of adult depression, 11.66 percent, which is 2.6 times lower than in West Virginia, the state with the highest at 30.20 percent.
- New York and New Jersey have the fewest suicides (per 100,000 residents), 8, which is 3.6 times fewer than in Wyoming, the state with the most at 29.
- North Dakota has the lowest long-term unemployment rate, 13.10 percent, which is 3.4 times lower than in New Mexico, the state with the highest at 44.90 percent.
- Utah has the highest volunteer rate, 51.00 percent, which is 2.2 times higher than in Florida, the state where the rate is the lowest at 22.80 percent.
- Utah has the lowest separation and divorce rate, 15.74 percent, which is 1.7 times lower than in Nevada, the state with the highest at 26.07 percent.
To view the full report and your state’s rank, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/happiest-states/6959
More from WalletHub
Expert Commentary
What are the key ingredients to a happy life?
“The most fundamental elements to a happy life comprised of a combination of factors. It begins with being mentally, emotionally, physically, and socially healthy. It also requires having healthy relationships with individuals in your personal and social circles and be contented with the choices you have made in your life journey. Furthermore, harmful, or toxic behaviors are not positive components of happiness, and you must display self-authenticity while striving to be the best person you can be each day.”
Wendy Johnny – Assistant Professor, City University of New York
“What we see across the world is that having access to health care and robust welfare programs helps to ensure that people are able to live a happy life. These things are not on their own sufficient to be happy, but we all need a good baseline in which our physical needs are satisfied in order to live a happy life. Once we have gotten this baseline secured, the next best things we can do are to focus on the quality and nature of our social relationships and to develop a mindset marked by optimism, compassion, and gratitude – qualities of mind which are both part of feeling happy and conducive towards feeling happier. We need to be able to see the good around us, take it in, and experience it with others.”
Lorraine Besser – Professor of Philosophy, Middlebury College
How important is money to people’s happiness?
“It matters, but not as much as one might think. Across research studies, income tends to be positively associated with subjective well-being. That means that as an individual’s income increases, their perceptions of their well-being tend to also increase. However, this effect tends to be small and to level out as income increases. At a certain point, more money does not contribute to greater well-being.”
Stacey McElroy-Heltzel, Ph.D. – Assistant Professor, The University of Iowa
“The research on the question of money is clear. Being poor and having a lot of stress because you do not have enough money definitely makes you unhappy, but once your income reaches a minimum threshold (about $75,000 per year in most parts of the U.S.), getting more money after that does not significantly increase happiness.”
Frank T. McAndrew, Ph.D. – Professor, Knox College
Considering the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, what will be the long-term effects on citizens’ level of happiness? What are some steps a person can take to ensure a state of psychological well-being?
“With the protracted nature of this pandemic, which has only intensified stress for some who were already suffering, we are becoming chronically anxious and chronically stressed. Our feelings of anxiety and stress as well as our responses to them (particularly, unhealthy coping responses) can become habits and take a toll on our health and wellbeing that can well outlast the pandemic. When things get better, our chronic habits of anxiety and worry may not automatically disappear completely. In my opinion, as individuals, we might need to take very conscious steps to regulate our worry and utilize interventions that can restore calmness and contentment…We also need meaningful and well-paying jobs, and welcoming and safe communities to support our psychological wellbeing.”
Meg Warren, Ph.D. – Associate Professor, Western Washington University
“The pandemic taught most of us a lot about the importance of having close social relationships and the dangers of social isolation. We should all take steps to ensure that we have close contacts, and that these relationships are positive and fulfilling ones. But to thrive we need more than our close contacts. I worry about the long-term effect of social distancing, wherein we must train ourselves to move away from people, and of mask-wearing, which inhibit the empathetic connections made through our facial expressions. We need to learn how to connect with others in ways that are less physical yet still meaningful and assuring.”
Lorraine Besser – Professor of Philosophy, Middlebury College |
