State rankings

Saddest States

Hawaii has the highest Total Happiness Score (66.31), followed by Maryland (62.6) and Minnesota (62.43). West Virginia has the lowest (33.83).

Health50 states · 4 metricsUpdated Jul 6, 2023Original page
1 source
50 of 51 states
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Total Happiness Score

Darker green is better (higher is better). Click a place to highlight it.

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All 50 ranked

Best first.

Distribution Median and middle halfThe median is the middle value: half of places are above it, half below. The middle half is the range holding the central 50% of places.More in the glossary →

Each dot is one state; the lines mark the median and the middle half.

Median
52.25
Middle half 46.96 – 57.31
Average
51.48
50 states
Highest
66.31
Hawaii
Lowest
33.83
West Virginia

Data

Click a column to sort, a row to highlight that place on the charts.

50 states · # = rank by Total Happiness Score
#
1Hawaii66.311st7th17th
2Maryland62.65th4th24th
3Minnesota62.4310th9th2nd
4Utah62.4129th1st1st
5New Jersey61.712nd19th28th
6Idaho61.625th2nd3rd
7California59.9712th5th14th
8Illinois58.593rd34th33rd
9Nebraska58.1913th22nd7th
10Connecticut58.157th28th21st
11Virginia57.849th27th20th
12South Dakota57.615th15th10th
13North Dakota57.3719th10th9th
14Massachusetts57.126th41st15th
15New Hampshire56.4618th20th13th
16Iowa55.5721st29th6th
17Delaware55.1611th18th41st
18Florida55.084th48th30th
19Georgia54.7816th14th32nd
20North Carolina53.6514th40th25th
21Wisconsin53.6120th37th16th
22Washington53.5333rd8th5th
23New York53.368th45th42nd
24Maine52.6722nd35th19th
25Wyoming52.436th3rd31st
26Oregon52.1130th23rd12th
27Pennsylvania51.8726th21st34th
28Rhode Island51.5523rd43rd18th
29Montana51.3441st13th4th
30Colorado50.727th47th8th
31Arizona50.2228th33rd29th
32Kansas49.931st26th23rd
33South Carolina49.6232nd11th38th
34Vermont48.4634th44th11th
35Nevada48.1635th6th43rd
36Texas47.7417th50th39th
37Indiana47.4137th30th22nd
38Ohio46.8139th16th36th
39Michigan46.5138th24th35th
40Alaska46.2724th49th37th
41Missouri45.3840th35th27th
42New Mexico43.6442nd17th47th
43Tennessee43.3544th42nd26th
44Oklahoma40.6946th12th44th
45Mississippi39.5843rd38th50th
46Alabama39.3245th46th40th
47Kentucky38.3649th25th45th
48Arkansas38.2347th31st46th
49Louisiana34.8148th39th49th
50West Virginia33.8350th32nd48th

What correlates with Total Happiness Score?

Pearson r against 2,113 other state metrics sharing at least 30 states. Correlation is not causation.

Higher together

Places that have a higher Total Happiness Score tend to score higher on these

  1. Total Happiness ScoreHappiest States
    r = +0.92 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  2. Male Life Expectancy (HALE)Life Expectancy by State
    r = +0.88 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  3. Life Expectancy, Both Sexes (HALE)Life Expectancy by State
    r = +0.88 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  4. Life Expectancy, Both SexesLife Expectancy by State
    r = +0.86 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  5. Male Life ExpectancyLife Expectancy by State
    r = +0.86 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  6. Female Life Expectancy (HALE)Life Expectancy by State
    r = +0.85 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot

Opposite directions

Places that have a higher Total Happiness Score tend to score lower on these

  1. Premature Deaths Per 100kHealthiest States
    r = −0.86 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  2. Age-Adjusted Death RateDeath Rate by State
    r = −0.86 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  3. Cigarette Use Past MonthDrug Use by State
    r = −0.84 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  4. Most Unhealthy States Total ScoreMost Unhealthy States in the U.S.
    r = −0.83 · very strong · n = 49
    Plot
  5. ScoreMost Stressed States
    r = −0.82 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot
  6. Tobacco Use Past MonthDrug Use by State
    r = −0.82 · very strong · n = 50
    Plot

Quick answers

Which state has the highest Total Happiness Score?
Hawaii has the highest Total Happiness Score, at 66.31, followed by Maryland (62.6) and Minnesota (62.43).
Which state has the lowest Total Happiness Score?
West Virginia has the lowest Total Happiness Score, at 33.83.
What is the median Total Happiness Score across US states?
The median is 52.25 across the 50 US states with data.
Where does this saddest states data come from?
Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: Happiest States in America - WalletHub.

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