Happiest U.S. States Pinned DownBy Jeanna Bryner, Managing Editor

posted: 17 December 2009 02:00 pm ET
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A new study found that a person's self-reported happiness matches up with objective measures of state-level happiness.

The results are based on an examination of two data sets, one that included personal reports of happiness for 1.3 million Americans and the other that included objective measures, such as how crowded that state is, air quality, home prices and other factors known to impact quality of life.

Click here to learn more about the survey and what it means.

Here are the 50 U.S. states (and the District of Columbia) in order of their well-being:

1. Louisiana
2. Hawaii
3. Florida
4. Tennessee
5. Arizona
6. Mississippi
7. Montana
8. South Carolina
9. Alabama
10. Maine
11. Alaska
12. North Carolina
13. Wyoming
14. Idaho
15. South Dakota
16. Texas
17. Arkansas
18. Vermont
19. Georgia
20. Oklahoma
21. Colorado
22. Delaware
23. Utah
24. New Mexico
25. North Dakota
26. Minnesota
27. New Hampshire
28. Virginia
29. Wisconsin
30. Oregon
31. Iowa
32. Kansas
33. Nebraska
34. West Virginia
35. Kentucky
36. Washington
37. District of Columbia
38. Missouri
39. Nevada
40. Maryland
41. Pennsylvania
42. Rhode Island
43. Massachusetts
44. Ohio
45. Illinois
46. California
47. Indiana
48. Michigan
49. New Jersey
50. Connecticut
51. New York

 

Funny you mention this, I was watching KOMO 4 from Seattle and that same story was on this morning. You know its not the state you live in, its the state your mind is in, and so for me no matter where I live, I'm in the happiest state a person can be in.

 

Is that too long for a bumber sticker? LOL

 

Its like Joe Dirt says: "Life's A Garden, Dig It!"

Hell, the reason why the southern ppl are so happy because we are all big as hell and fat. We have woods, rivers, creeks, beaches, and Mardi Gras! Yayyyyy!!!

 

I have to agree with chik...the south is where it's at!!! this is where I am retiring!!!

 

I will totally settle down further south. Perhaps Key West since that is as far south as you can go.

I like the warm weather. Cold weather and I do not agree with each other at all!

 

Well hot umid weather just kills me! It is cold up here in the winter, but the summers are so great! You can ride all day and never break a sweat. And the bugs aren't all that bad either. Down south it's like riding through bug swarms at night, then you burn your *** up in the daytime. I dont know how people wear gear on days that is 105 degrees!

 

You totally get used to the heat and humidity. For example, right now it is about 55 degrees here. You guys would probably be in short sleeves. We are walking around bundled up because its freaking cold to us.

You gta know what times to ride out during bug season. They are only extreme during the wee morning and early night. After that you will be ok.

I heart my hot *** weather!

 

Go Souf! seems some of the ****tiest places made the list, louisiana and mississippi are pretty crappy, but I guess that brings you closer together... I havent seen much I liked north of the MDL

 

Yeah I dont see how LA and MS made it ..... the state definetly does not invest money into their infrastructure. The interstates are bumpy and sucks to ride a motorcycle on. NOLA smells like a bag of steaming poo. There are some parts of MS that are cool, such as Biloxi/Gulfport area b/c of the Casinos. Other than that it sucks.