A new nationwide happiness index reveals which states are home to the most satisfied employees, and which states have the unhappiest workers.
The ranking, created by HR technology experts at SelectSoftware Reviews, measured performance in key metrics across all 50 states, and awarded each a happiness score out of 100 to reveal where is best and worst for job satisfaction.
The index evaluated each state based on factors such as wages, quit rates, commute times, weekly working hours, injuries, paid time off, and state positivity levels.
"Although many people might assume that a job is the same wherever you are, these results demonstrate the considerable impact a location can have on how workers feel about their job, whether that is due to state laws, commute times, or wages," the authors pointed out.
According to the list, Alaska clinched the title as the state with the happiest employees, boasting shorter average workweeks of 31.3 hours, a generous average wage of $52,000 per year, and an overall job satisfaction score of 69.96.
Rounding out the top five is Rhode Island, North Dakota, Colorado and Minnesota.
In contrast, Georgia came out as the worst-performing state for job satisfaction, scoring an overall 29.62. It has the highest quit rate, 3.6%, of any contender, ranks poorly for general state happiness, and grapples with an average commute time of 28.7 minutes.
Finishing second to last is Texas, followed by Florida, New York and South Carolina.
Employee Happiness Scores by State
1. Alaska - 69.96
2. Rhode Island - 56.64
3. North Dakota - 56.40
4. Colorado - 55.76
5. Minnesota - 55.26
6. Nebraska - 54.91
7. Maine - 53.98
8. Ohio - 52.05
9. Arizona - 51.69
10. Indiana - 48.84
11. Massachusetts - 48.33
12. West Virginia - 48.31
13. California - 46.92
14. Maryland - 45.92
15. Hawaii - 44.01
16. Illinois - 43.70
17. Utah - 43.41
18. Washington - 42.95
19. Oklahoma - 42.98
20. Vermont - 42.11
21. Louisiana - 41.46
22. Oregon - 40.35
23. Wyoming - 40.37
24. Iowa - 39.50
25. Connecticut - 39.28
26. Kansas - 39.36
27. Missouri - 39.34
28. North Carolina - 38.95
29. Mississippi - 37.58
30. South Dakota - 37.24
31. Montana - 36.97
32. Arkansas - 36.58
33. New Hampshire - 36.64
34. Wisconsin - 36.49
35. Nevada - 36.06
36. Michigan - 35.88
37. Tennessee - 35.87
38. Idaho - 35.45
39. Kentucky - 35.07
40. Delaware - 34.60
41. New Mexico - 34.25
42. New Jersey - 34.09
43. Virginia - 33.89
44. Pennsylvania - 33.26
45. Alabama - 32.68
46. South Carolina - 31.65
47. New York - 31.51
48. Florida - 30.46
49. Texas - 30.36
50. Georgia - 29.62