It’s the eternal question: Can money buy happiness? Conventional wisdom (hi, Mom) negates the notion, but here at, we decided to take a slightly more systematic approach to finding an answer. We set out to compare the average personal income in each state with its “happiness” ranking—a ranking based on the level of satisfaction the state’s residents reported on life areas such as work quality, emotional health, life satisfaction and basic access to food, shelter and other necessities (as reported in the oft-cited Gallup-Healthways index). The results were in equal parts surprising and predictable, but we’ll let you draw your own conclusions.

Below, find out which are the top 10 happiest states in the country, and where they fall in the range of average salaries across the nation. Then, for the complete list of happiness rankings by state, scroll down.

Happiness Rankings by State

State Happiness Rankings, continued

11. Idaho
12. Montana
13. New Hampshire
14. Vermont
15. Virginia
16. Nebraska
17. New Mexico
18. Oregon
19. Connecticut
20. Alaska
21. Texas
22. Kansas
23. Georgia
24. Wisconsin
25. New Jersey
26. South Carolina
27. Iowa
28. North Dakota
29. Maine
30. Florida
31. Illinois
32. Pennsylvania
33. Alabama
34. North Carolina
35. New York
36. Delaware
37. Rhode Island
38. Nevada
39. South Dakota
40. Louisiana
41. Michigan
42. Tennessee
43. Oklahoma
44. Missouri
45. Indiana
46. Arkansas
47. Ohio
48. Mississippi
49. Kentucky
50. West Virginia

Sources: Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index and The Tax Foundation