New Jersey is one of the happiest places to live in America, according to a new WalletHub study, placing 4th happiest in the nation, trailing only Hawaii, Maryland, and Nebraska.
The annual report measured happiness using 30 key indicators across three categories: Emotional & Physical Well-Being, Work Environment, and Community & Environment.
New Jersey, which fell down one spot in the rankings from last year, reported the lowest rate of adult depression in the country, as well as the lowest suicide rate, both major factors in its strong showing.
WalletHub also highlighted New Jersey’s consistently high quality of life. In a separate report on the “Best States to Live In,” the state ranked 3rd overall, with top scores for safety (1st in the nation) and strong showings in both education and health (6th place).
Experts say New Jersey’s combination of strong public safety, access to quality health care, and supportive communities contributes to its residents’ well-being.
The top five happiest states for 2025 were Hawaii, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, and Minnesota. At the other end of the spectrum, Louisiana, Arkansas, and West Virginia were ranked the least happy.
Neighboring New York was 16th and Pennsylvania was 18.
Maryland is ranked #2
Kol HaKavod & Well deserved. The Geshmak in learning Ner Yisroel is famous for spreads happiness across the entire state.
Must be the Michelle watches everyone has that makes us so happy
This is weird because NJ is also one of the top 5 most expensive states in the country.