Do you live in the happiest state in America? Weather less of a factor than you might think

Move over, Hawaii. Utah is now the happiest state in the nation. WalletHub released the results of its 2023 Happiest States in America research.

The company combed through studies to identify which internal and external factors give people a sense of overall well-being and satisfaction with life.

Analysts awarded up to 100 points across 30 different factors. Ideal weather factored in highly – points were triple-weighted. Also triple-weighted were scores from the percentage of adults with 14 or more mental unhealthy days in the past month and the suicide rate. The only factor to get a quadruple rate was the percentage of adults diagnosed with depression.

Where does your state rank?

"WalletHub drew upon the findings of ‘happiness’ research to determine which environmental factors are linked to a person’s overall well-being and satisfaction with life," WalletHub financial writer Adam McCann explained in the study's release. "Previous studies have found that good economic, emotional, physical and social health are all key to a well-balanced and fulfilled life."

If weather and climate factor into environmental factors, then "ideals" vary by person.

"The natural environment and a climate that matches your needs can influence happiness," Brad Shuck, one of WalletHub's experts and professor of human resources and organizational development at the University of Louisville, stated in the release.

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"Some people prefer living in areas with a particular type of weather (think snow, or lots of sunshine), access to outdoor activities, or proximity to natural beauty, which can boost happiness episodes," he continued. "It is important to note that individual preferences and circumstances play a substantial role in how much where you live influences your happiness. At the end of the day, happiness is a complex interplay of various factors, with location being just one of them."

Another expert said that affordable housing, ability to build community and friendships are more important in the "location" factor.

"Research suggests that other variables such as weather are considerably less important than most people think," said expert Miriam Liss, professor of psychology at the University of Mary Washington.

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What is the best and worst weather, according to WalletHub?

WalletHub went back to its 2014 analysis of Cities with the Best and Worst Weather to award states points for ideal weather. It ranked 600 cities by season and for year-round mild weather:

Mild weather conditions year-round:

Ideal conditions for individual seasons:

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• For mild weather, the company looked at climatological averages versus what they considered optimal, which was a high temperature of 72 degrees, less than 1 inch of rain per day and a 0% chance of snow and fog.
• The ideal winter temperature was 45 degrees, 0.07 inches of liquid equivalent precipitation per day, a 7% chance of snow and a 5% chance of fog.
• The ideal spring was 65 degrees with no precipitation, fog or snow chance.
• The ideal summer was 80 degrees with no precipitation, fog or snow chance.
• The ideal fall was 65 degrees with 0.08 inches of precipitation per day, a 0% chance of snow and a 5% chance of fog.
• The ideal sky condition was a 70% chance of a sunny day and a 30% chance of a partly cloudy day.
• Analysts also looked at the chances of hail and a tornado in a day and the chance of a windy day.

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Does weather make us happy?

One study published in a journal of the American Meteorological Society looked at weather and individual happiness. Researchers found that "happiness is maximized" at 57 degrees. And males are more sensitive to temperature than females.

"The effects of other meteorological variables – humidity, wind speed, precipitation, and sunshine – are not significant," authors wrote.

Houston Methodist Hospital, though, reported that temperature, sunshine and humidity had the greatest effect on mood, according to a 1984 study. Humidity actually lowered concentration and increased sleepiness. 

The hospital also cited another study from 2005, which found that people who spent time outdoors in pleasant weather had higher moods and better memory, as well as a 2008 study that suggested wind, temperature and sunlight can impact negative moods, not positive moods. 

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A separate study, reported in Psychology Today, suggested that feeling jittery, distressed and irritable increased with heat and decreased with more sun and less wind.

A 2016 study published in the journal Public Library of Science One suggested that temperature, wind and humidity impact people similarly to economic situations and personal health behaviors.

"The findings suggest that weather conditions, economic situations, and personal health behaviors are all correlated with levels of happiness," the authors wrote. "… Analyses indicated that people living under the conditions of higher temperature, higher visibility, a little wind, lower dew point, and an improving economic situation felt happier." 

It turns out even the stock exchange "responds" to weather. A 2018 study found that stock prices were higher during "nice" or "comfortable" weather in cool countries, like the U.S. and Canada (sunny with no rain, wind or snow). The findings also showed that stock prices moved higher during low-temperature extremes in the winter.