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SUGGESTED COVERAGE: Finland ranked world's happiest country
The 2025 World Happiness Report has ranked Finland as the happiest country in the world, again, while the United States dropped to an all-time low ranking.
LOS ANGELES - Happiness, in part, can be tied to where you live when it comes to certain environmental factors, like a flourishing economy and social activities to boost an individual's emotional and physical well-being.
And while there are other aspects that contribute to living a fulfilling life, WalletHub released a new survey ranking the happiest states in the U.S.
What we know:
WalletHub's 2025 "Happiest States in America" report is based on an analysis of the 50 states across 30 metrics that are linked to a person's overall well-being.
These metrics fall into three key categories: emotional and physical well-being, work environment, and community and environment. The report found that a state's economic, emotional, physical, and social health are important for a fulfilled life.
The top three states in the ranking were Hawaii at No. 1, followed by Maryland and Nebraska. California took the 7th spot.
According to the report, Hawaii residents report the highest levels of life satisfaction in the nation, while Maryland has one of the lowest unemployment rates and highest percentages of households earning more than $75,000 a year.
Nebraska's ranking was boosted by its high economic security, low depression rate, and a high share of residents reporting good or better health.
Here are the top 10 happiest states in the U.S., according to WalletHub:
- Hawaii
- Maryland
- Nebraska
- New Jersey
- Connecticut
- Utah
- California
- New Hampshire
- Massachusetts
Dig deeper:
WalletHub pointed to a Gallup poll that found that just 44% of Americans call themselves "very satisfied" with their life. Per Gallup, that’s a record low.
Another 37% say they’re "somewhat" satisfied, so more than 8 in 10 are satisfied to some degree.
Unrelated to WalletHub’s happiness report, the Gallup survey found that frequent churchgoers and wealthier adults are "most likely to be very satisfied."
The Source: This report is based on findings from a new study by WalletHub, a personal-finance website that analyzes data across the 50 states. Information also includes supporting data from a Gallup poll to provide additional context on national satisfaction levels. FOX Television Stations contributed to this report.