Minnesota and Iowa Make Top 20 Happiest States List

Feeling Pretty Good in the Midwest: Minnesota and Iowa Rank Among America’s Happiest States!

Minnesota is one of the happiest states in America, and Iowa made the Top 20, too.

If you’ve ever wondered whether living in the Midwest might have something to do with being happy, a new national ranking gives residents of Minnesota and Iowa another reason to smile.

WalletHub has released its 2026 Happiest States in America report, comparing all 50 states across 30 different measures tied to happiness and overall life satisfaction.

And Minnesota came in at an impressive No. 8, making it one of only 10 states to crack the Top 10. Iowa also made the list, landing at No. 20.

The rankings looked at everything from depression rates and unemployment to income growth and the percentage of adults who feel productive.

Top 20 Happiest States
1. Hawaii
2. New Jersey
3. Utah
4. Idaho
5. Maryland
6. Nebraska
7. Connecticut
8. Minnesota
9. California
10. New Hampshire
11. New York
12. North Dakota
13. Massachusetts
14. North Carolina
15. South Carolina
16. Virginia
17. Arizona
18. Georgia
19. Washington
20. Iowa

The findings come as a recent Gallup poll found that only 44% of Americans describe themselves as “very satisfied” with the way their life is going.

WalletHub also found some interesting state-to-state differences. New Jersey had the lowest share of adults experiencing depression, while Utah ranked highest for volunteering and lowest for separation and divorce.