What's the Price of Happiness in Your State? (With Chart)

The Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | July 21, 2014 | Eric Reed

[2ndDivisionVet]

The price of happiness depends a lot on where you live, according to a new report by the investment group Advisor Perspectives. The analysis is based on the now-famous work by Princeton researchers Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton, who found that higher incomes only make people happier to a point. Up to about $75,000 per year, the more a household earns, the happier people are. After that benchmark, however, additional income "buys life satisfaction but not happiness."

The team separated these two issues by distinguishing fun from happiness. More money still leads people to have more life experiences and greater satisfaction with their accomplishments, but it doesn't give them greater emotional well-being. They take the same amount of joy from their lives, even while doing more.

The recently released work by Doug Short, vice president of research with Advisor Perspectives, says that there's an enormous amount of variation around this $75,000 benchmark depending on where you live. At the low end, people in Mississippi reach their "happiness benchmark" (the point past which more money doesn't improve emotional well-being) at $65,850.....

[BlueStateRightist]

There appears to be a rough correlation between the “happiness value” and overall tax burden for residents of any given state.

[mountainlion]

There appears to be a rough correlation between the “happiness value” and overall tax burden for residents of any given state.

Not in Colorado. The happiness quotient here is drug related.

[MamaB]

Where is AL?

[2ndDivisionVet]

It’s the first one, right under the paragraph: Alabama – $69,300

[MamaB]

thanks.

[tet68]

Lord, I’d love to try living on $69,000 a year...

[teletech]

Happiness has been outlawed here. I live in Illinois.

[ottbmare]

I’ve been poor and I’ve been (kind of) rich, and believe me, rich is better.

[B4Ranch]

• Alabama – $69,300
• Alaska – $98,850
• Arizona – $76,350
• Arkansas – $69,375
• California – $95,325
• Colorado – $75,300
• Connecticut – $93,900
• D.C. – $104,700
• Delaware – $79,275
• Florida – $74,775
• Georgia – $69,525
• Hawaii – $122,175
• Idaho – $70,650
• Illinois – $71,625
• Indiana – $68,025
• Iowa – $69,375
• Kansas – $68,475
• Kentucky – $67,500
• Louisiana – $71,475
• Maine – $82,275
• Maryland – $88,275
• Massachusetts – $90,975
• Michigan – $70,425
• Minnesota – $76,350
• Mississippi – $65,850
• Missouri – $70,275
• Montana – $73,950
• Nebraska – $68,775
• Nevada – $75,150
• New Hampshire – $87,075
• New Jersey – $95,700
• New Mexico – $70,050
• New York – $99,150
• North Carolina – $73,350
• North Dakota – $75,300
• Ohio – $70,575
• Oklahoma – $67,800
• Oregon – $91,275
• Pennsylvania – $76,200
• Rhode Island – $90,675
• South Carolina – $72,075
• South Dakota – $73,725
• Tennessee – $67,275
• Texas – $69,600
• Utah – $69,750
• Vermont – $87,900
• Virginia – $72,750
• Washington – $76,950
• West Virginia – $73,950
• Wisconsin – $74,100
• Wyoming – $69,900