Are you too busy to feel depressed?
New Yorkers seem to love to complain, but according to an annual happiness ranking, New York is one of the least depressed states in America.
Wallet Hub In the “Happiest States 2024” survey, New York rose to fifth place in a subcategory that breaks down states with the lowest and highest rates of depression among adults, but not enough to beat out neighboring New Jersey, which came in second on the list.
Blessed with dazzling scenery and sunshine, Hawaii received the highest rating of all the states, taking the top spot.
Two other paradise-like states, California and Florida, were shut out of the top five by the decidedly much sunnier Nebraska (ranked 3rd) and Illinois (ranked 4th).
Fewer than half of Americans say they are “very satisfied” with their current lives, according to the survey authors, who also note that the state you live in can affect your happiness.
The researchers pulled state statistics on reported rates of depression and looked at 30 key indicators to help determine who had more severe and less severe symptoms.
In 2023, the New York City Department of Health and Hygiene reported that 8% of adults experienced depression in the previous year, slightly higher than the national average of 7.1% reported by New York City.
Tennessee was ranked the most depressing state in America, a ranking that coincides with the results of a 2023 CDC study that reportedly reached the same conclusion.
According to Nashville Health, one in five people, or 22.1 percent, in the Nashville area, the Volunteer State’s largest city, have been diagnosed with depression in the past.
Oklahoma, Arkansas, West Virginia and Maine ranked last along with the Volunteer State.
New York fares much worse in the overall happiness rankings, plummeting to 23rd place when bigger issues like work, community and the environment are factored in.
Hawaii still holds the top spot on the list, but the Garden State has dropped one spot to No. 3 behind Maryland, which has jumped to No. 2.
Speaking specifically of New Jersey, the study authors explained its overall ranking by pointing to life satisfaction, a high percentage of people who report having supportive and loving relationships in their lives, and the third-lowest separation and divorce rates in the country.
When it came to the state’s well-being, the report also spoke of the state’s wealth, with particular reference to the reduction in poverty and food insecurity in recent years.
