Which U.S. States Are Getting Happier?
Key Takeaways
- Between 2024 and 2026, North Dakota posted the largest happiness score gain of any state, climbing by 8.03 points.
- Delaware recorded the biggest decline, with its happiness score falling by 9.62 points.
- Overall, 31 states recorded improvements in their happiness scores, while 19 saw declines.
How has happiness changed in your state over the past two years?
While some states have made significant gains, others have experienced sharp declines, reshuffling the national happiness rankings. Several states moved more than 10 places between 2024 and 2026.
This visualization maps changes in happiness scores across all 50 U.S. states using data from WalletHub’s happiness index for 2024 and 2026. The index evaluates 30 metrics across emotional and physical well-being, work environment, and community and environment, producing a score on a 100-point scale.
The results show which states have made the biggest gains and which have fallen behind.
North Dakota Leads the Nation in Happiness Gains
North Dakota made the biggest leap in the national happiness rankings, climbing 15 places from 27th in 2024 to 12th in 2026.
Its happiness score rose from 51.35 to 59.38, putting it just outside the nation’s top 10.
The following table shows how much each state’s happiness score changed between 2024 and 2026:
| State | 2024 Score | 2026 Score | Score Change (Points) |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | 51.35 | 59.38 | +8.03 |
| New York | 52.46 | 59.38 | +6.92 |
| Mississippi | 41.83 | 46.81 | +4.98 |
| California | 55.63 | 60.58 | +4.95 |
| New Jersey | 62.46 | 67.09 | +4.63 |
| New Hampshire | 55.38 | 59.89 | +4.51 |
| North Carolina | 52.34 | 56.77 | +4.43 |
| Utah | 62.20 | 66.45 | +4.25 |
| Idaho | 58.84 | 62.59 | +3.75 |
| Arizona | 52.13 | 55.58 | +3.45 |
| Tennessee | 40.32 | 43.63 | +3.31 |
| Nebraska | 58.60 | 61.81 | +3.21 |
| Oklahoma | 41.74 | 44.78 | +3.04 |
| Washington | 51.11 | 53.97 | +2.86 |
| Vermont | 50.45 | 53.30 | +2.85 |
| Texas | 45.56 | 48.11 | +2.55 |
| Nevada | 45.88 | 48.39 | +2.51 |
| Indiana | 45.92 | 48.38 | +2.46 |
| Ohio | 43.55 | 45.94 | +2.39 |
| New Mexico | 40.82 | 43.10 | +2.28 |
| Louisiana | 32.97 | 34.49 | +1.52 |
| Montana | 48.12 | 49.51 | +1.39 |
| Arkansas | 37.09 | 38.44 | +1.35 |
| Connecticut | 60.14 | 61.38 | +1.24 |
| Alabama | 41.67 | 42.80 | +1.13 |
| Colorado | 46.29 | 47.31 | +1.02 |
| Hawaii | 68.71 | 69.53 | +0.82 |
| Virginia | 55.29 | 56.08 | +0.79 |
| Missouri | 48.30 | 49.02 | +0.72 |
| Minnesota | 60.43 | 60.91 | +0.48 |
| Georgia | 53.84 | 54.22 | +0.38 |
| Iowa | 54.22 | 53.60 | -0.62 |
| Pennsylvania | 53.18 | 52.42 | -0.76 |
| Massachusetts | 58.24 | 57.26 | -0.98 |
| South Carolina | 57.68 | 56.65 | -1.03 |
| Rhode Island | 50.77 | 49.54 | -1.23 |
| Kansas | 54.23 | 52.91 | -1.32 |
| Oregon | 44.95 | 43.52 | -1.43 |
| Florida | 55.38 | 53.44 | -1.94 |
| Wisconsin | 53.23 | 51.22 | -2.01 |
| Maryland | 64.67 | 62.01 | -2.66 |
| Alaska | 41.44 | 38.65 | -2.79 |
| Illinois | 54.39 | 51.53 | -2.86 |
| Maine | 51.56 | 48.19 | -3.37 |
| Michigan | 49.66 | 46.03 | -3.63 |
| Wyoming | 47.07 | 43.26 | -3.81 |
| Kentucky | 42.88 | 38.84 | -4.04 |
| South Dakota | 57.62 | 52.61 | -5.01 |
| West Virginia | 38.09 | 31.88 | -6.21 |
| Delaware | 60.43 | 50.81 | -9.62 |
New York recorded the second-largest ranking improvement, climbing 12 places from 23rd to 11th. Its happiness score increased by 6.92 points.
North Carolina rose 10 places to 14th, while Washington climbed nine places to 19th. Arizona and Vermont each gained eight places.
Delaware Records the Biggest Happiness Decline
Delaware experienced the sharpest reversal of any state, falling from fifth place in 2024 to 28th in 2026, a drop of 23 positions.
Just two years earlier, Delaware ranked among America’s five happiest states. By 2026, its happiness score had fallen from 60.43 to 50.81.
| State | 2024 Rank | 2026 Rank | Rank Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | 27 | 12 | +15 |
| New York | 23 | 11 | +12 |
| North Carolina | 24 | 14 | +10 |
| Washington | 28 | 19 | +9 |
| Arizona | 25 | 17 | +8 |
| Vermont | 30 | 22 | +8 |
| Tennessee | 47 | 41 | +6 |
| Mississippi | 42 | 37 | +5 |
| Nevada | 37 | 32 | +5 |
| California | 13 | 9 | +4 |
| New Hampshire | 14 | 10 | +4 |
| Idaho | 8 | 4 | +4 |
| Nebraska | 9 | 6 | +3 |
| Oklahoma | 43 | 40 | +3 |
| Texas | 38 | 35 | +3 |
| Indiana | 36 | 33 | +3 |
| Montana | 33 | 30 | +3 |
| New Mexico | 46 | 44 | +2 |
| Georgia | 20 | 18 | +2 |
| New Jersey | 3 | 2 | +1 |
| Utah | 4 | 3 | +1 |
| Ohio | 40 | 39 | +1 |
| Louisiana | 50 | 49 | +1 |
| Arkansas | 49 | 48 | +1 |
| Missouri | 32 | 31 | +1 |
| Connecticut | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| Hawaii | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Virginia | 16 | 16 | 0 |
| Rhode Island | 29 | 29 | 0 |
| Alabama | 44 | 45 | -1 |
| Colorado | 35 | 36 | -1 |
| Iowa | 19 | 20 | -1 |
| Minnesota | 6 | 8 | -2 |
| Alaska | 45 | 47 | -2 |
| West Virginia | 48 | 50 | -2 |
| Pennsylvania | 22 | 25 | -3 |
| Massachusetts | 10 | 13 | -3 |
| Oregon | 39 | 42 | -3 |
| Maryland | 2 | 5 | -3 |
| South Carolina | 11 | 15 | -4 |
| Kansas | 18 | 23 | -5 |
| Kentucky | 41 | 46 | -5 |
| Wisconsin | 21 | 27 | -6 |
| Florida | 14 | 21 | -7 |
| Michigan | 31 | 38 | -7 |
| Maine | 26 | 34 | -8 |
| Illinois | 17 | 26 | -9 |
| Wyoming | 34 | 43 | -9 |
| South Dakota | 12 | 24 | -12 |
| Delaware | 5 | 28 | -23 |
South Dakota recorded the second-largest ranking drop, falling 12 places from 12th to 24th. Illinois and Wyoming each slid nine positions, while Maine dropped eight places.
West Virginia recorded the second-largest decrease in happiness score, falling by 6.21 points. It also slipped from 48th to 50th place, making it the nation’s lowest-ranked state.
Hawaii Remains America’s Happiest State
Despite the reshuffling elsewhere, Hawaii maintained its position as America’s happiest state in both 2024 and 2026.
Its happiness score edged up from 68.71 to 69.53, keeping it at the top of the national rankings.
New Jersey and Utah each climbed one place to second and third, respectively. Idaho rose four places to fourth, while Maryland slipped from second to fifth.
These results highlight an important distinction: a state can improve its happiness score without necessarily climbing the rankings, since its position also depends on how other states perform.
Globally, the world’s happiest countries have also seen shifts in their rankings. Finland has held the top spot since 2018, but seven of the top 10 positions changed between 2024 and 2025.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
To explore this topic further, check out The Happiest Countries in the World in 2026 on Voronoi.