One Study Reports Maine is not Remotely One of the Happiest States

Are you happy here?

Maine is a weird state. There seems to be a few classifications of Mainers, all with slightly different attitudes about the old Pine Tree State. I'm a multi-generational Mainer going back a couple hundred years. I love it here. I can't imagine living anywhere else. Then there's the transplants who seem to have more Maine pride than just about any long time Mainer ever.

Then there's all the folks who, for various just kind of hate it here. Maybe it's the weather. Maybe it's political. But there are definitely a ton of people who live here who just wish they were somewhere else. Would those people actually be happier somewhere else? that's where the real question lies...

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One study says we're just not that happy at all.

WalletHub.com published a report on their site recently that I found kind of hilarious. For reasons ranging from depression to volunteer rates, to marriage/divorce rates, we rank #30 in the whole country. Oddly enough, almost every other New England state was in the Top 15. Literally every other state in New England is allegedly a happier place to be.

How can that be? What do Connecticut and New Hampshire have that we don't have? Well, NH doesn't have sales tax, so there's that. As much as Mainers complain about the amount of taxes we pay, it's no surprise they'd place ahead of us. But Connecticut? How can anyone be that happy so close to NYC? Unless that's what makes you happy.

Rhode Island is almost as miserable as we are. But still managed to place one spot above us at #29. I mean, I know happiness is a very subjective thing. So I don't really believe Maine is necessarily full of widespread sadness. Nor do I believe moving to #1 Utah will make your life awesome. That's on you, my friend. Happiness starts at home.

Maybe this will help explain some of the issues...