This Is the Happiest State in the U.S.A.

Happiness is hard to define, but if you ask us, toes in the sand, near-perfect weather year-round, and a stunning backdrop of rainforest and ocean are tough to beat. That’s why we were hardly surprised when Hawaii took number one in WalletHub’s recent ranking for the happiest state in America.

The personal finance site evaluated states nationwide for three key factors, including emotional and physical well-being, work environment, and community environment, calculating scores based on research from recent years. Looking at studies by organizations like Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and United Health Foundation focusing on data relating to health and longevity, activity level, community engagement, and job security, along with more obvious elements like weather, daily leisure time, and safety, the study concluded that Hawaii ranked highest overall, scoring number one for the crucial factor of emotional and physical well-being. Of 100 possible points representing “maximum happiness,” it earned 68.27.

Close behind the Aloha State, Utah came in second, followed by Minnesota. Other Western States that ranked highly include California (fifth) and Idaho (sixth). Meanwhile, Colorado earned high scores for adequate sleep rate and highest sports participation, and Utah won out for key factors like fewest average work hours, lowest divorce rate, and highest volunteer rate.

While happiness is subjective, there’s no denying certain things can put a spring in your step, and as the research states, “previous studies have found that good economic, emotional, physical, and social health are all key to a well-balanced and fulfilled life.”

As if we needed another reason to envy the island life. Mahalo!