If living a happy life is high on your list of priorities, New York might not be the place to do it. A new report from personal finance site WalletHub just ranked all 50 states to see where Americans feel the most satisfied in order to uncover the happiest states in the U.S.—and New York didn’t exactly shine in the rankings.
The study compared states across three big areas: Emotional and Physical Well-Being, Work Environment, and Community and Environment. Within those categories, WalletHub looked at 30 factors like social connections, average work hours, and how much leisure time people actually get in a day. Each factor was scored on a 100-point scale, and the weighted averages determined the final rankings.
So where’s the happiest state in America? Hawaii takes the crown with a total score of 65.50. Rounding out the top 10 were Maryland (64.13), Nebraska (63.61), New Jersey (63.42), Connecticut (62.53), Utah (61.12), California (60.09), New Hampshire (59.56), Massachusetts (59.19), and Idaho (58.31).
New York landed in 16th place overall with a score of 55.42. It ranked near the bottom in Work Environment (42nd) and Community & Environment (45th), though it did perform surprisingly well in Emotional and Physical Well-Being, coming in at number 5.
The results may come as a surprise, especially since a recent study from the Institute for Quality of Life actually crowned NYC the happiest city in the entire country just a few months ago. That research focused on factors like inclusive policies, access to green spaces, and how determined a city is to foster happiness.
WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo put it simply:
In addition to pursuing your passions, having a good work-life balance and maintaining an emotional support network, another key way to boost your happiness is living in the right place. The happiest states are those that provide above-average quality of life in a wide variety of areas, from strong state economies and high quality physical and mental health care to adequate amounts of leisure time and good weather.
For New Yorkers looking to add more joy into their daily lives without moving to Hawaii, here are a few ideas:
- 🌿 This whimsical Upstate inn and spa with Monet-worthy gardens and fairytale charm
- 🎈 This free Upstate NY balloon festival that fills the skies with color for four straight days
- 🕹️ The 10 best arcades in NYC where you can feel like a kid again
👉 See WalletHub’s full ranking of the Happiest States in America here.