REVEALED: The happiest state in the US – where residents do lots of exercise and are friendlier than most
- South Dakota and South Carolina are among the happiest states in the US
- While West Virginia and Louisiana appear to be the most depressed
- READ MORE: West Virginia is the most depressed state
If you want to improve your mood, consider moving east. A new study shows that a majority of the happiest Americans live in the central or eastern part of the country.
NowPatient conducted an analysis of all fifty states to find out where Americans were happiest and found that people in South Dakota had the happiest moods.
In that state, only 24 percent of adults report suffering from an anxiety or depressive disorder.
The online pharmaceutical company said South Dakota is one of the friendliest states and residents spend a lot of time outside and enjoying nature, which improves mood.
The state's happy disposition may also have something to do with the fact that a large majority of residents report being very physically active (75 percent) and getting the recommended hours of sleep (72 percent). South Dakota also has a slightly higher than average life expectancy of 76.7 years.
At the bottom of the list is West Virginia, where 40 percent of adults report having an anxiety or depression disorder
After South Dakota, residents of South Carolina, Delaware and Wisconsin all reported good moods as well.
In South Carolina, 25 percent of people reported having an anxiety or depression disorder. In Delaware and Wisconsin, that number is 26.3 percent.
In South Carolina, residents enjoy warm weather, beaches and a vibrant cultural scene. Delaware is considered one of the best places to retire, with great weather and plenty of beautiful outdoor spaces. Wisconsin also has wide open spaces to explore and has a lower cost of living than the U.S. average, according to NowPatient.
About three-quarters of residents in all the top four states report being physically active and about two-thirds report getting enough sleep.
And all but one of the four largest states, South Carolina, has a higher life expectancy than the U.S. average.
At the bottom of the list is West Virginia, where 40 percent of adults report having an anxiety or depression disorder. In Louisiana that number is 39 percent and in Oklahoma and Alaska it is 38 percent.
The happiest states seem to be those where residents enjoy warm weather, get lots of exercise and are friendly to their neighbors
This isn't the first time West Virginia has been at the bottom of the list of the happiest states.
Previous research has found that high unemployment, violent crime, limited access to exercise and distant youth all contribute to the coal mining state's lack of cheer.
And previous research has shown that the Mountaineer State also has the highest depression rates in the US. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 27.5 percent of West Virginians are depressed.
The CDC study found that depression levels were higher among women, younger adults and adults with lower education levels.
Twenty-four percent of women, compared to only 13 percent of men, reported having had depression.
Social factors may be to blame for West Virginia's gloomy moods.
Appalachian adults tend to have lower incomes, higher poverty rates and lower education levels, all of which can negatively impact health and well-being, according to the CDC study.
Researchers for the NowPatient analysis used data from hospitals, Google searches, the CDC and population surveys to determine each state's ranking.