Hawaii topped the list of America’s happiest states in 2025, with the second-lowest depression rate and the highest self-reported life satisfaction rate, followed by Maryland and Nebraska, which rose from ninth place the previous year to third place.
Hawaii also tops the list with low unemployment, a high percentage of households earning over $75,000, and nearly 85 percent of adults in the state reporting their physical health as good or excellent, and the state has the highest life expectancy in the United States, according to WalletHub.
Maryland, in second place, with the lowest unemployment rate of 3.2 percent and the highest percentage of households earning more than $75,000, also contributed to the ranking of happiest states.
The list of the top 10 happiest states in America in 2025, published by WalletHub, is based on various factors related to well-being, work environment, and community.
| Rank | State |
| 1 | Hawaii |
| 2 | Maryland |
| 3 | Nebraska |
| 4 | New Jersey |
| 5 | Connecticut |
| 6 | Utah |
| 7 | California |
| 8 | New Hampshire |
| 9 | Massachusetts |
| 10 | Idaho |
Nebraska’s Strong Rise in the Happiest State Rankings
Nebraska ranked ninth in 2024, moving up to third overall this year, due to its second-highest level of economic security and sixth-lowest rate of recession. It’s also surprising that despite Nebraska’s long work hours, its residents enjoy the most leisure time of any state.
The state also ranks among the top 10 in terms of physical health and has the lowest divorce and separation rates, according to WalletHub.
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