We all want to be happy and where you live can have a big impact on that. Some people thrive with 300 days of sunshine a year and would be miserable in the rainy Northwest, while others want to be somewhere with plenty of cultural events and nightlife, so quiet country living isn’t for them. While the things that make us happy aren’t the same for everyone, a new study ranks the happiest states in the country.
The research from Manhattan Mental Health Counseling looks at factors including work-life balance, economic stability, health, environment, and safety as predictors of overall happiness and well-being.
States were rated on 20 metrics, including their physical activity rate, violent crime rates, depression rates and income-to-cost-of-living ratio.
After comparing all of that, Utah tops the list as the happiest state in the U.S.
It stands out for affordability and community connection, with high scores for its income-to-cost ratio and high volunteer rate.
Nebraska lands at number two, thanks in part to a low unemployment rate and high scores for mental health.
At the bottom of the list is Louisiana, making it the least happy state overall. It ranks near the bottom for leisure time, poverty, sleep, physical activity and violent crime, and residents there work the longest average hours in the country.
West Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky complete the bottom five.
The Top 10 Happiest States in the U.S.
Utah
Nebraska
Vermont
Minnesota
Idaho
North Dakota
South Dakota
Iowa
Wyoming
Colorado⠀
Connecticut came in 17th
Source: NY Post
photo: GETTY