California ranks 24th in a recent study of the happiest states in the U.S., falling outside the top 20. New York ranked even lower, at 41st. The study, conducted by Manhattan Mental Health Counseling, analyzed factors including work-life balance, economic stability, health, environment, and safety.
Utah secured the top position, followed by Nebraska, Vermont, Minnesota, and Idaho in the top five. The study utilized data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the CDC, examining 20 metrics per state, such as violent crime rates, depression rates, and income-to-cost-of-living ratios.
Experts suggest that California's high cost of living and resulting economic insecurity negatively affected its happiness rating. Residents in California need to earn approximately $52.79 per hour to afford a two-bedroom home, which costs an average of $2,745 per month, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. In some areas, like Santa Cruz, the required hourly wage can be as high as $81. The median home price in California exceeded $930,000 in May, and the state contains nine of the ten most expensive metropolitan areas for homeowners in the U.S.
Data from the California Poverty Measure indicates that nearly 744,000 young adults in the state face food insecurity, housing instability, and poverty. Despite the state's overall ranking, certain cities within California performed well. Fremont was named the happiest city in the U.S. for the seventh consecutive year, with nearly 80% of its households earning above $75,000. Other California cities in the top 25 happiest include Irvine (8th), San Jose (10th), San Francisco (17th), San Diego (21st), and Huntington Beach (25th).