WalletHub Reveals Happiest States in America for 2024: Hawaii Tops the List

As a recent Gallup poll highlights that only 47% of Americans feel “very satisfied” with their lives, WalletHub's new report sheds light on where happiness is thriving across the United States. The personal-finance website has released its annual ranking of the Happiest States in America for 2024, identifying the states that offer the best conditions for life satisfaction based on 30 key indicators.

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The analysis compared all 50 states on factors such as depression rates, income growth, unemployment rates, and overall mental and physical health. Here’s a look at the top ten happiest states:

1. Hawaii
2. Maryland
3. New Jersey
4. Utah
5. Delaware
6. Minnesota
7. Connecticut
8. Idaho
9. Nebraska
10. Massachusetts

Best vs. Worst Highlights:

• Hawaii boasts the lowest depression rate in the nation, 2.3 times lower than in Tennessee, which has the highest.
• New Jersey has the fewest suicides per 100,000 residents, 3.7 times fewer than Montana, the state with the highest rate.
• Utah leads in volunteer rates, which are 2.6 times higher than in Florida, where the rate is the lowest.
• Utah also has the lowest separation and divorce rate, 1.7 times lower than New Mexico, the state with the highest rate.

Expert Insights:

Chip Lupo, WalletHub analyst, explains in a press release that “Hawaii is the happiest state, with residents reporting the highest levels of life satisfaction and the lowest depression rate. With 86% of Hawaiian adults in good or better health and one of the lowest unemployment rates, Hawaii sets a high bar for happiness.”

Buffie Longmire-Avital, Ph.D., professor and director of the Black Lumen Project, emphasizes in a press statement, “Meaningful relationships and social connections are crucial for a happy life. Community and connection provide emotional and physical security, essential for long-term happiness.”

Theresa E. DiDonato, Ph.D., Associate Dean and Professor, adds, “High-quality relationships and interactions with valued people are key to happiness. Spending money on experiences rather than objects, and pro-social spending, can also enhance happiness.”