The Happiest State in America

According to a new study, Hawaii is the happiest state in the U.S. in 2020.

1 minute read

October 12, 2020, 10:00 AM PDT

By Clement Lau


Hiking in Nature

AbElena / Shutterstock

In a year dominated by COVID-19 and other challenges such as major wildfires, it is probably difficult for anyone to be happy or have happy thoughts. Nevertheless, WalletHub has conducted a study that reveals Hawaii as the happiest state in America in 2020. WalletHub has been doing this study since 2014.

"Happiness is a feeling of joy, contentment, and overall positive emotions," Dr. Chieh-Chen Bowen of Cleveland State University’s psychology department said in a WalletHub statement. "Happiness is a universal goal. We all want to be happy and want such feelings to last."

As Rachel Chang reports in the source article, to try to best measure happiness, WalletHub used three dimensions on a 100-point scale, weighting "emotional and physical well-being" with 50 points and "work environment" and "community and environment" with 25 points each.

The study also revealed top rankings in subcategories, with Minnesota coming out on top for the highest adequate sleep, New Jersey with the lowest share of adult depression, North Dakota with the lowest long-term unemployment rate, Utah with the highest volunteer rate, and Maine as the safest. The bottom of the list starts with Missouri in 40th place, followed by Oregon, Alaska, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and West Virginia, which landed in the last spot. 

Tuesday, September 22, 2020 in Travel + Leisure

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue tarps covering tents set up by unhoused people along chain link fence on concrete sidewalk.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work

Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

July 6, 2025 - Next City

Tunnel for pedestrians, bikes, and buses in Lyon, France lit up with purple lights.

The French Solution to Congested Tunnels: Make Them Car-Free

Bay Area transportation officials keep expanding car capacity. Lyon’s Croix Rousse Tunnel offers a different way.

5 hours ago - Streetsblog San Francisco

Missouri state Rep. Chris Brown speaking in government chamber.

Missouri Governor Reverses Anti-Discrimination Housing Policies

A new state law bars cities from prohibiting source-of-income discrimination against tenants using Section 8 housing vouchers.

6 hours ago - Missouri Independent

Pedestrians crossing a rainbow painted crosswalk in New York City.

USDOT Launches Unfunded 'SAFE ROADS' Program

The program targets “distractions” and “political messages or artwork,” and paves the way for autonomous vehicles.

6 hours ago - Urban Milwaukee