These People Love What They Do

Even if you’re desperate for a fresh start, it’s not easy for many Americans to pack up and move to a new state. You might have a stable in-person job that you don’t want to lose. You might have close friends and family that you don’t want to lose touch with. You might not be able to afford to haul your entire life across the country (plus, even if you do find that elusive and affordable beach spot, the cost of living may be way higher in that area). Still, for those with the freedom to pick their next landing spot, it’s worth considering how much happiness you might gain—and specifically how you’d gain it.

Each year, personal finance company Wallethub crunches the numbers to rank all 50 U.S. states by happiness. And there are numerous factors to consider here, all broken down into three core areas ("emotional and physical well-being," "work environment," and "community and environment") using 30 metrics of data from sources like the U.S. Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.