Happiness can be very elusive sometimes for us to achieve as individuals, but as a state South Dakota has an abundance of smiling faces.

The website WalletHub has released its annual ranking of the Happiest States in America and the Mount Rushmore State is holding steady in the top Ten, checking in at number nine out of the 50 states and Washington D.C.

South Dakota scored well in two of the three main categories used to rank the states - sixth in work environment and ninth in emotional and physical well-being.

We did fall in the bottom half of the community and environment score - ranking 35th.

To break it down further, WalletHub tracked 28 key metrics to arrive at the overall ranking.

Here's how South Dakota fared in some of the key categories (1=Best; 25=Avg.):

  • 2nd – Adequate-Sleep Rate
  • 3rd – Income Growth Rate
  • 4th – Volunteerism Rate
  • 8th – Divorce Rate
  • 8th – Long-Term Unemployment Rate
  • 10th – Depression Rate
  • 14th – Hedonometer Ranking
  • 28th – Obesity Rate

Happiest states in America:

  1. Utah
  2. Minnesota
  3. North Dakota
  4. Hawaii
  5. Colorado

Iowa was seventh overall, Nebraska eighth.

Unhappiest states in America:

47. Arkansas

48. Mississippi

49. Kentucky

50. Alabama

51. West Virginia


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