Smile: New York Is One Of Nation's Happiest States, Study Says

NEW YORK — New Yorkers are actually pretty content despite their gruff reputation. The Empire State ranks among the "happiest" states in the nation thanks in part to a low suicide rate and high life expectancy, a new study shows.

The personal finance website WalletHub ranked the 50 states for happiness based on 31 metrics of community, work environment and emotional and physical wellbeing.

New York placed 15th on the list overall with a strong showing in several public health measures, according to the report.

The state has the nation's lowest suicide rate at 8.1 per 100,000 people, along with the fourth-lowest share of depressed adults and the second lowest rate of "adverse childhood experiences," WalletHub found. New Yorkers also live longer than most — the state's life expectancy of 80.5 years is the fifth-highest in the nation, the report shows

But New Yorkers also have some reasons to be miserable — namely the state's worst-in-the-nation commute time of 33 minutes, according to WalletHub. There's also the state's No. 44 long-term unemployment rate and the No. 47 ranking for "ideal weather."

New Yorkers in search of a happier life could head across the Pacific Ocean to No. 1 Hawaii — or just across the Hudson River to New Jersey, which placed fifth on the list. But they should stay away from West Virginia, which WalletHub ranked the nation's least happy state.

Here are the 15 happiest states in America, according to WalletHub. Read the full report here.

1. Hawaii
2. Utah
3. Minnesota
4. California
5. New Jersey
6. Idaho
7. Massachusetts
8. Maryland
9. Nebraska
10. Connecticut
11. Iowa
12. North Dakota
13. Nevada
14. Virginia
15. New York