California Not Among Top 10 Happiest States In The U.S.: Study

CALIFORNIA — California is not among the top 10 happiest states in the country, according to a new study by WalletHub that considered the community and environment, emotional and physical well-being, and work environment of Americans.

To determine the happiest states, researchers at WalletHub compared the 50 states across 30 key metrics, ranging from the depression rate to income growth to the unemployment rate. Each metric was then graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing maximum happiness.

"The happiest states are those that provide above-average quality of life in a wide variety of areas, from strong state economies and high quality physical and mental health care, to adequate amounts of leisure time and good weather," said Chip Lupo, a WalletHub analyst.

• Also see: 4 CA Cities Among Top 10 Happiest In U.S.: Report

California ranked as the 13th happiest state in the country, with an overall score of 55.63, according to WalletHub.

The Golden State came in third in income growth, fifth in suicide rate, sixth in the percentage of depressed adults, and seventh in the number of work hours, the report found. California also ranked ninth in separation and divorce rate, 18th in share of adults feeling active and productive, and 20th in adequate-sleep rate.

Hawaii ranked as the happiest state, followed by Maryland, New Jersey, Utah and Delaware, according to the study. Louisiana ranked as the least happiest state, followed by Arkansas, West Virginia, Tennessee and New Mexico.

Read the full report.