CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — A recent study by WalletHub has concluded that West Virginia is the most unhappy state in America. Happiness is a difficult thing to come across even on the best of days.
With the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting most people’s lives, America has been forced to face a mental health crisis. It has now been said that 4 in 10 adults report symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder.
WalletHub looked at 50 states across 31 key metrics to determine which states were suffering the worse from this ongoing situation, including the use of previous studies on the subject.
What was found is that West Virginia, in a combination of all established factors, was ranked 50.
| Overall Rank* | State | Total Score | Emotional & Physical Well-Being | Work Environment | Community & Environment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | West Virginia | 34.05 | 49 | 49 | 37 |
The three key dimensions that were considered were: 1) Emotional & Physical Well-Being, 2) Work Environment and 3) Community & Environment.
Inside those dimensions were 31 metrics, each on a 100-point scale with their own weight on the overall score.
Emotional & Physical Well-Being – Total Points: 50
- Career Well-Being: Full Weight (~2.17 Points)
- Physical Health Index: Full Weight (~2.17 Points)
- Adverse Childhood Experiences: Triple Weight (~6.52 Points)
- Share of Adult Depression: Full Weight (~2.17 Points)
- Social Well-Being: Full Weight (~2.17 Points)
- Share of Adults with Alcohol Use Disorder: Double Weight (~4.35 Points)
- Adequate-Sleep Rate: Full Weight (~2.17 Points)
- Sports-Participation Rate: Full Weight (~2.17 Points)
- Share of Adults Feeling Active & Productive: Full Weight (~2.17 Points)
- COVID-19 Positive Tests in the Past Week per Capita: Double Weight (~4.35 Points)
- Share of Adults with Mental Health Not Good: Triple Weight (~6.52 Points)
- Life Expectancy: Double Weight (~4.35 Points)
- Suicide Rate: Triple Weight (~6.52 Points)
- Food-Insecurity Rate: Full Weight (~2.17 Points)
Work Environment – Total Points: 25
- Number of Work Hours: Double Weight (~5.00 Points)
- Commute Time: Half Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Share of Households Earning Annual Incomes Above $75,000: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Share of Adults Worried About Money: Half Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Current Unemployment Rate: Half Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Long-Term Unemployment Rate: Half Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Underemployment Rate: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Job Security: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Job Satisfaction Score: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Income-Growth Rate: Half Weight (~1.25 Points)
- Economic-Confidence Index: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
- Median Credit Score: Half Weight (~1.25 Points)
Community & Environment – Total Points: 25
- Volunteer Rate: Half Weight (~1.67 Points)
- Ideal Weather: Triple Weight (~10.00 Points)
- Average Leisure Time Spent per Day: Double Weight (~6.67 Points)
- Separation & Divorce Rate: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
- Safety: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
Other noteworthy rankings were Highest Share of Adult Depression and Lowest Adequate-Sleep Rate of which West Virginia ranked 50 and 49 respectfully.
The sources used include: The U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Feeding America, Corporation for National and Community Service, Gallup, Brandwatch, TransUnion, Minnesota Population Center – University of Minnesota, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, County Health Rankings and WalletHub research.
