California Ranks Among the 10 Happiest States in America, New Study Finds

Californians may find plenty to complain about on a daily basis, between rush hour traffic and eye-watering housing costs. However, according to a new study, residents of the Golden State are still happier than many of their American counterparts. California was just ranked as one of the happiest places in America, finishing ninth in WalletHub's 2026 Happiest States in America report. It earned 60.58 points out of 100. Each state received a score out of 100, with higher scores representing more favorable conditions for happiness. California trailed Minnesota and finished ahead of New Hampshire in the rankings. Another beachy oasis, Hawaii, claimed the title of America's happiest state, flanked by New Jersey, Utah and Idaho. At the opposite end of the spectrum, West Virginia finished dead last, behind Louisiana, Arkansas and Alaska. The 10 happiest states were: Hawaii — 69.53 New Jersey — 67.09 Utah — 66.45 Idaho — 62.59 Maryland — 62.01 Nebraska — 61.81 Connecticut — 61.38 Minnesota — 60.91 California — 60.58 New Hampshire — 59.89 The 10 least happy states were: Tennessee — 43.63 Oregon — 43.52 Wyoming — 43.26 New Mexico — 43.10 Alabama — 42.80 Kentucky — 38.84 Alaska — 38.65 Arkansas — 38.44 Louisiana — 34.49 West Virginia — 31.88 How happy are people in your state? Check out WalletHub's latest report to find out where your state ranks for happinesshttps://t.co/3EYm2PBsqf pic.twitter.com/zksXhLGtev — WalletHub (@wallethub) September 8, 2026 WalletHub collected data for the rankings through August 11, 2026. In its methodology, WalletHub compared all 50 U.S. states across 30 different criteria, which it grouped into three categories: emotional and physical wellbeing, work environment, and community and environment. It considered factors like depression, physical health, life expectancy, sleep, income, unemployment, leisure time, weather, safety, and divorce rates. The ranking comes as only 44% of Americans say they are 'very satisfied' with their lives, according to a 2025 Gallup poll. California made its case for a higher slot in the WalletHub rankings by displaying stronger showings in the categories of emotional and physical well-being, where it ranked fourth nationwide. It also had the fourth-lowest percentage of adults diagnosed with depression and the fifth-lowest suicide rate, suggesting that Californians struggle with those mental health conditions at a lower rate than residents of many other states. Residents may also have more free time to enjoy the state's famously favorable weather and natural beauty, from beach days to mountain hikes. California tied for fifth place in terms of fewest average work hours. Still, life in the Golden State was not blissful by every measure. California ranked 36th for its work environment and 19th for community and environment. It placed 20th for adequate sleep, 16th for income growth, and 18th for the percentage of adults who reported feeling active and productive. The state also had the highest long-term unemployment rate in the country. WalletHub noted that the happiest states tended to combine strong economies and health care with leisure time, favorable weather and opportunities for personal growth. This indicates that happiness may be less about any single advantage than how many aspects of life in a given state coalesce. For Californians, the results represent a partly cloudy forecast. The state's economic pressures may weigh heavily on some of its residents, but quality of life overall still suggests it is among the happier places to live in the U.S.