Washington is a happier state than Oregon

Money can buy happiness, but how much?

The least happiest state in America is West Virginia, followed by Alabama with a close 2nd.

A study released by WalletHub says we’re not as happy as folks living in Utah, North Dakota and Minnesota.

The study examined several key factors to determine a state’s overall happiness, including financial security, mental and physical health, job satisfaction, positive feelings, environment, social connectivity and general outlook on life.

– Oregon’s depression rate is twice as high as Hawaii’s. West Virginia’s heart attack rate is three times as high as Utah’s, maybe because the volunteerism rate there is three times as high as Louisiana’s. They did so by comparing the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 25 key metrics, ranging from emotional health to income levels to sports participation rates.

– Arkansas is the most obese state.

– Nevada has the lowest income growth, followed by Michigan, Florida, Georgia and Arizona.