A new study that looks at happiness in states across the country, ranks Maryland as the fifth most happy in the U.S. Last year, Maryland was ranked eighth.
The finance website WalletHub.com ranks Utah (#2), Minnesota (#3), New Jersey (#4), California (#6), North Dakota (#7), Iowa (#8), Idaho (#9), and Connecticut (#10) in the top 10 happiest states.
The happiest state in the U.S. is Hawaii, according to the study.
WalletHub compared all fifty states in “three key dimensions” in order to determine happiness:
- Emotional & Physical Well-Being
- Work Environment
- Community & Environment
A score for “emotional and physical well-being” was based on 15 relevant measurements, including depression and Covid-19 positivity rates. The score for “work environment” was based on 12 relevant measurements, including commute time and the unemployment rate. The score for “community and environment” was based on 5 relevant measurements, such as cities with the best and worst weather.
A weighted score was calculated for each of the three key dimensions. The states were ranked based on their total weighted score.
Maryland ranked third for emotional and physical well-being, 33rd for work environment, and ninth for community and environment.
Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Feeding America, Corporation for National and Community Service, Gallup, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, United Health Foundation, Brandwatch, TransUnion, Minnesota Population Center – University of Minnesota, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, The COVID Tracking Project and WalletHub research.
For more information about this study, click here.
Correction: The original post identified Texas as the happiest state in the U.S.
