Maryland is 2024’s 2nd happiest state in America, WalletHub study

BALTIMORE, MD—With a recent Gallup poll showing only 47% of Americans are “very satisfied” with the way their life is going, the personal-finance website WalletHub this week released its report on the Happiest States in America in 2024 to identify the places that create the best conditions for life satisfaction.

WalletHub compared the 50 states across 30 key indicators of happiness. The data set ranges from the depression rate and the share of adults feeling productive to income growth and the unemployment rate.

Maryland came in at No. 2 on this year’s list, behind only Hawaii. New Jersey, Utah, and Delaware rounded out the top five, while Louisiana came in last place.

Happiness in Maryland (1=Happiest; 25=Avg.):

Overall Rank: 2nd

• 9th – % of Depressed Adults
• 4th – Suicide Rate
• 16th – % of Civilian Labor Force Unemployed 15 Weeks or Longer
• 25th – Number of Work Hours
• 29th – Volunteer Rate
• 18th – Separation & Divorce Rate
• 17th – Safety
• 22nd – Share of Adults Feeling Active & Productive

“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,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “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.”

“Hawaii is the happiest state, with residents reporting the highest levels of life satisfaction in the nation and the lowest depression rate,” Lupo added. “In addition, 86% of Hawaiian adults report that they are in good or better health, the third-best percentage in the nation, and Hawaiians have the highest life expectancy in the U.S. To top things off, Hawaii has one of the lowest unemployment rates, as well as the second-highest share of households with an annual income above $75,000.”

The full report is available online here at WalletHub.

More in the video below.

Photo via Pixabay