The 10 Happiest States In America Are Also Some Of the Prettiest

We're moving in. 😊

If you’re gonna choose a state to call home, then you might as well make it a happy one.

Credit site WalletHub recently conducted an analysis on what it takes to make Americans from across the nation feel content in the areas of emotional and physical wellbeing, work environment and community life. For their survey, WalletHub researchers used 28 metrics and a seriously detailed point system to analyze data from four recent reports on happiness, longevity and life in U.S. cities. They then gave each state a score out of 100 that reflects the happiness of its residents as compared to the others.

Midwestern states performed especially well on the ranking, likely thanks to their friendly communities and abundance of outdoor space.

Of course, this system isn’t the only way to measure happiness, but it’s a pretty thorough one indeed. And to our joy, the top 10 happiest states happen to be some of the most scenic states in America, too. Take a look:

10. California

Happiness score: 59.96

Laguna Beach
Danita Delimont via Getty Images
Laguna Beach

9. South Dakota

Happiness score: 60.08

Badlands National Park
Karen Desjardin via Getty Images
Badlands National Park

8. Nebraska

Happiness score: 60.65

Farmstead at sunset.
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Farmstead at sunset.

7. Iowa

Happiness score: 60.92

City of Kellogg
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City of Kellogg

6. Idaho

Happiness score: 60.93

White Bird Canyon
Anna Gorin via Getty Images
White Bird Canyon

5. Colorado

Happiness score: 61.59

Bear Lake
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Bear Lake

4. Hawaii

Happiness score: 66.63

Tunnels Beach
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Tunnels Beach

3. North Dakota

Happiness score: 61.59

Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Alan Majchrowicz via Getty Images
Theodore Roosevelt National Park

2. Minnesota

Happiness score: 69.09

The Mississippi River
Ryan W Brown via Getty Images
The Mississippi River

1. Utah

Happiness score: 71.02

Bryce Canyon
LordRunar via Getty Images
Bryce Canyon

Before You Go

Woodstock, Vermont (population: 3,048)

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