Happiness and sadness are influenced by factors that vary from person to person. They may also frequently change, depending on an endless set of dynamic circumstances, including social, financial, and health factors. While the emotion itself may be difficult to quantify at an individual level, the well-being of a population can be easier to measure using several objective and subjective factors known to lead to better — or worse — overall well-being.
To determine the saddest U.S. states, 24/7 Tempo reviewed the 2019 Gallup Well-Being Index, which is based on responses from more than 115,000 U.S. adults aged 18 and older surveyed in 2019. The index is intended to capture how people feel about their lives and what they experience on a daily basis. The index consists of five categories: social relationships, financial security, relationship to community, physical health, and career prospects — these are 79 jobs with six figure salaries.
The overall well-being in the United States has been in steady decline since 2016. The national Well-Being Index score decreased almost 1 point since then, falling to 61.2 in 2018. What played the biggest role in the decline of people’s happiness was the erosion of social and career well-being. The 18 states on the list all have a well-being score lower than 61.2 — here are the states with the best and worst economies.
All but two of the 18 most miserable states have median household incomes far below the national median income of $65,712 in 2019. The states with the saddest residents have relatively high shares of adult residents who report regularly worrying about money or not having enough money to do everything they want to do.
The vast majority of the most miserable states in the country have among the lowest shares of residents who learn something new or engage in an interesting activity on a daily basis or who like what they do every day.
Click here for the 18 most miserable states in the U.S.
Click here for our detailed methodology
18. Michigan
> Well-being index score: 61.1 (national average: 61.2)
> Adults who like what they do every day: 56.1% — 17th lowest
> Adults who feel productive every day: 50.3% — 19th highest
> Adults who learn/do something interesting every day 46.3% — 25th lowest
> Adults who are happy with where they live: 50.8% — 15th lowest
> Adults who worry about money: 39.3% — 17th lowest
> Adults who get positive energy from friends/family every day: 57.2% — 15th lowest
> Median household income: $59,584 — 19th lowest
> Violent crime rate: 437 per 100,000 people — 13th highest
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17. Pennsylvania
> Well-being index score: 60.9 (national average: 61.2)
> Adults who like what they do every day: 55.4% — 11th lowest
> Adults who feel productive every day: 47.6% — 11th lowest
> Adults who learn/do something interesting every day 45.1% — 11th lowest
> Adults who are happy with where they live: 53.4% — 25th lowest
> Adults who worry about money: 40.4% — 24th highest
> Adults who get positive energy from friends/family every day: 57.1% — 14th lowest
> Median household income: $63,463 — 23rd highest
> Violent crime rate: 306 per 100,000 people — 22nd lowest
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16. Kansas
> Well-being index score: 60.9 (national average: 61.2)
> Adults who like what they do every day: 60.7% — 8th highest
> Adults who feel productive every day: 50.3% — 19th highest
> Adults who learn/do something interesting every day 46.6% — 25th highest
> Adults who are happy with where they live: 52.4% — 18th lowest
> Adults who worry about money: 39.5% — 19th lowest
> Adults who get positive energy from friends/family every day: 59.0% — 23rd highest
> Median household income: $62,087 — 24th lowest
> Violent crime rate: 411 per 100,000 people — 17th highest
15. North Carolina
> Well-being index score: 60.8 (national average: 61.2)
> Adults who like what they do every day: 55.8% — 16th lowest
> Adults who feel productive every day: 49.0% — 18th lowest
> Adults who learn/do something interesting every day 45.7% — 21st lowest
> Adults who are happy with where they live: 56.4% — 17th highest
> Adults who worry about money: 41.3% — 15th highest
> Adults who get positive energy from friends/family every day: 58.1% — 21st lowest
> Median household income: $57,341 — 12th lowest
> Violent crime rate: 372 per 100,000 people — 23rd highest
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14. New York
> Well-being index score: 60.8 (national average: 61.2)
> Adults who like what they do every day: 52.7% — 3rd lowest
> Adults who feel productive every day: 46.9% — 8th lowest
> Adults who learn/do something interesting every day 44.9% — 9th lowest
> Adults who are happy with where they live: 49.0% — 9th lowest
> Adults who worry about money: 41.7% — 13th highest
> Adults who get positive energy from friends/family every day: 59.1% — 22nd highest
> Median household income: $72,108 — 14th highest
> Violent crime rate: 359 per 100,000 people — 25th highest
13. Ohio
> Well-being index score: 60.6 (national average: 61.2)
> Adults who like what they do every day: 54.5% — 7th lowest
> Adults who feel productive every day: 47.8% — 12th lowest
> Adults who learn/do something interesting every day 44.1% — 5th lowest
> Adults who are happy with where they live: 50.4% — 13th lowest
> Adults who worry about money: 40.2% — 25th lowest
> Adults who get positive energy from friends/family every day: 56.9% — 12th lowest
> Median household income: $58,642 — 15th lowest
> Violent crime rate: 293 per 100,000 people — 19th lowest
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12. South Carolina
> Well-being index score: 60.6 (national average: 61.2)
> Adults who like what they do every day: 56.8% — 20th lowest
> Adults who feel productive every day: 47.5% — 10th lowest
> Adults who learn/do something interesting every day 46.0% — 22nd lowest
> Adults who are happy with where they live: 56.9% — 14th highest
> Adults who worry about money: 42.6% — 5th highest
> Adults who get positive energy from friends/family every day: 56.4% — 11th lowest
> Median household income: $56,227 — 10th lowest
> Violent crime rate: 511 per 100,000 people — 6th highest
11. Missouri
> Well-being index score: 60.6 (national average: 61.2)
> Adults who like what they do every day: 57.9% — 23rd highest
> Adults who feel productive every day: 47.9% — 13th lowest
> Adults who learn/do something interesting every day 45.6% — 18th lowest
> Adults who are happy with where they live: 50.5% — 14th lowest
> Adults who worry about money: 40.6% — 23rd highest
> Adults who get positive energy from friends/family every day: 59.8% — 17th highest
> Median household income: $57,409 — 13th lowest
> Violent crime rate: 495 per 100,000 people — 8th highest
10. Indiana
> Well-being index score: 60.3 (national average: 61.2)
> Adults who like what they do every day: 58.5% — 19th highest
> Adults who feel productive every day: 48.9% — 17th lowest
> Adults who learn/do something interesting every day 45.0% — 10th lowest
> Adults who are happy with where they live: 51.8% — 16th lowest
> Adults who worry about money: 38.9% — 15th lowest
> Adults who get positive energy from friends/family every day: 56.2% — 9th lowest
> Median household income: $57,603 — 14th lowest
> Violent crime rate: 371 per 100,000 people — 24th highest
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9. Illinois
> Well-being index score: 60.3 (national average: 61.2)
> Adults who like what they do every day: 55.8% — 16th lowest
> Adults who feel productive every day: 49.3% — 19th lowest
> Adults who learn/do something interesting every day 44.7% — 8th lowest
> Adults who are happy with where they live: 46.3% — 3rd lowest
> Adults who worry about money: 41.0% — 22nd highest
> Adults who get positive energy from friends/family every day: 56.1% — 7th lowest
> Median household income: $69,187 — 17th highest
> Violent crime rate: 407 per 100,000 people — 18th highest
8. Louisiana
> Well-being index score: 60.0 (national average: 61.2)
> Adults who like what they do every day: 56.9% — 21st lowest
> Adults who feel productive every day: 47.2% — 9th lowest
> Adults who learn/do something interesting every day 44.7% — 8th lowest
> Adults who are happy with where they live: 46.1% — 2nd lowest
> Adults who worry about money: 43.1% — 4th highest
> Adults who get positive energy from friends/family every day: 60.4% — 12th highest
> Median household income: $51,073 — 4th lowest
> Violent crime rate: 549 per 100,000 people — 5th highest
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7. Alabama
> Well-being index score: 59.9 (national average: 61.2)
> Adults who like what they do every day: 55.8% — 16th lowest
> Adults who feel productive every day: 46.8% — 7th lowest
> Adults who learn/do something interesting every day 45.7% — 21st lowest
> Adults who are happy with where they live: 55.3% — 19th highest
> Adults who worry about money: 39.8% — 24th lowest
> Adults who get positive energy from friends/family every day: 58.6% — 25th highest
> Median household income: $51,734 — 5th lowest
> Violent crime rate: 511 per 100,000 people — 7th highest
6. Oklahoma
> Well-being index score: 59.8 (national average: 61.2)
> Adults who like what they do every day: 57.8% — 24th highest
> Adults who feel productive every day: 46.3% — 5th lowest
> Adults who learn/do something interesting every day 44.5% — 6th lowest
> Adults who are happy with where they live: 47.6% — 4th lowest
> Adults who worry about money: 43.7% — 3rd highest
> Adults who get positive energy from friends/family every day: 54.5% — 4th lowest
> Median household income: $54,449 — 8th lowest
> Violent crime rate: 432 per 100,000 people — 14th highest
5. Tennessee
> Well-being index score: 59.5 (national average: 61.2)
> Adults who like what they do every day: 54.7% — 9th lowest
> Adults who feel productive every day: 44.7% — 4th lowest
> Adults who learn/do something interesting every day 42.6% — 3rd lowest
> Adults who are happy with where they live: 53.1% — 23rd lowest
> Adults who worry about money: 41.2% — 17th highest
> Adults who get positive energy from friends/family every day: 56.3% — 10th lowest
> Median household income: $56,071 — 9th lowest
> Violent crime rate: 595 per 100,000 people — 3rd highest
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4. Mississippi
> Well-being index score: 58.9 (national average: 61.2)
> Adults who like what they do every day: 54.7% — 9th lowest
> Adults who feel productive every day: 46.4% — 6th lowest
> Adults who learn/do something interesting every day 45.5% — 15th lowest
> Adults who are happy with where they live: 48.0% — 6th lowest
> Adults who worry about money: 41.1% — 20th highest
> Adults who get positive energy from friends/family every day: 55.3% — 5th lowest
> Median household income: $45,792 — the lowest
> Violent crime rate: 278 per 100,000 people — 14th lowest
3. Kentucky
> Well-being index score: 58.8 (national average: 61.2)
> Adults who like what they do every day: 54.4% — 5th lowest
> Adults who feel productive every day: 44.2% — 3rd lowest
> Adults who learn/do something interesting every day 42.9% — 4th lowest
> Adults who are happy with where they live: 52.7% — 21st lowest
> Adults who worry about money: 42.0% — 11th highest
> Adults who get positive energy from friends/family every day: 52.7% — 3rd lowest
> Median household income: $52,295 — 7th lowest
> Violent crime rate: 217 per 100,000 people — 7th lowest
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2. Arkansas
> Well-being index score: 58.7 (national average: 61.2)
> Adults who like what they do every day: 52.5% — 2nd lowest
> Adults who feel productive every day: 43.7% — 2nd lowest
> Adults who learn/do something interesting every day 39.5% — 2nd lowest
> Adults who are happy with where they live: 53.6% — 25th highest
> Adults who worry about money: 42.0% — 11th highest
> Adults who get positive energy from friends/family every day: 52.0% — 2nd lowest
> Median household income: $48,952 — 3rd lowest
> Violent crime rate: 585 per 100,000 people — 4th highest
1. West Virginia
> Well-being index score: 57.0 (national average: 61.2)
> Adults who like what they do every day: 51.1% — the lowest
> Adults who feel productive every day: 41.5% — the lowest
> Adults who learn/do something interesting every day 36.8% — the lowest
> Adults who are happy with where they live: 43.0% — the lowest
> Adults who worry about money: 46.0% — the highest
> Adults who get positive energy from friends/family every day: 50.2% — the lowest
> Median household income: $48,850 — 2nd lowest
> Violent crime rate: 317 per 100,000 people — 23rd lowest
Methodology
To determine America’s most miserable states, 24/7 Tempo analyzed the results of the 2019 Gallup Well-Being Index. States were ranked on their overall Well-Being Index score. It comprises five metrics that affect overall well-being:
1. Career — liking what you do each day and being motivated to achieve your goals
2. Social — having supportive relationships and love in your life
3. Financial — managing your economic life to reduce stress and increase security
4. Community — liking where you live, feeling safe and having pride in your community
5. Physical — having good health and enough energy to get things done daily
Survey results from Gallup were paired with other socioeconomic data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI, and other sources. Data on median annual household income, college and high school attainment rates, commuting patterns, poverty rate, shares of households earning less than $10,000 or more than $200,000, and income inequality came from the Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey. Data on violent crime and property crime rates came from the FBI’s 2019 Uniform Crime Report.
State rankings on other well-being and security measures, including but not limited to physical well-being, financial security, food and health care access, came from the Community Well-Being Index, a joint Sharecare, health and wellness engagement platform, and Boston University School of Public Health program. All data are for the most recent period available.
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