According to the career resource website Zippia, Louisiana ranks as the least happy state in the nation. Among the metrics considered, the ranking looked at depression rates, employment factors, and marriage rates. Zippia spokesperson Kathy Morris says married people often report being happier than single people.
“Louisiana had a marriage rate of 46% which may sound high offhand but when you really compare it to other states, it is actually almost dead last. Only one other state has a lower marriage rate,” said Morris.
Rhode Island has the lowest marriage rate at 44%.
Morris says the state’s unemployment rate is also contributing to the rating.
“Money can’t buy happiness but when you are really wondering how you are going to pay your bills and you are struggling to find a job, it’s not so easy to be happy,” said Morris.
Louisiana’s jobless rate was the fifth highest in the nation based on the December unemployment rate.
Louisiana’s average household income only exceeds that of Mississippi, West Virginia, New Mexico and Arkansas. Morris says Louisiana workers spend about 39.7 hours a week at work, throwing off a work/life balance.
“Typically those who don’t work a 40-hour workweek only work 30 hours and bring that number down. To see a number so close to 40 hours typically indicates that a lot of people are working above 40 hours and it is kind of an unhappy work/life balance,” said Morris.
Other southern states that made the top five least happy states were Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama.
