Americans give their happiness an average score of 70 out of 100, offering a broad snapshot of how people across the country are feeling in 2026. Nearly three in ten say their happiness has improved over the past year, while 45% say it has stayed the same.
Financial Pressure Is Weighing on Happiness
The biggest challenge is economic. Sixty-one percent of Americans say the cost of living is affecting their happiness, and financial pressures rank ahead of physical health, mental health, and uncertainty about the future as sources of strain.
At the same time, the foundations of happiness remain deeply personal. Family, personal life, and health are the three factors Americans are most likely to say contribute to their happiness.
Where Are Americans Happiest?
Happiness also varies across the country. Among the states measured, Florida records the highest happiness index at 75.3, followed by Kansas at 74.5 and New Jersey at 74.4.
Beyond geography, Americans also point to their immediate surroundings as an important part of well-being. A sense of safety and security ranks first among the factors contributing to happiness in their municipality, followed by quality of neighborhood life and access to green spaces.
Download the 2026 Happiness Index for the complete rankings and results.
Methodology
This study is based on a web survey conducted among 63,710 Canadians and 6,408 Americans aged 18 and older. Data were collected through LEO, Leger’s proprietary panel, from June 9 to 29, 2026. Results were weighted by gender, age and region to ensure representative samples of the population.
Where possible, 2026 results were compared with the 2025 edition.
Additional questions not used to calculate the rankings were asked in omnibus surveys conducted from June 26 to 28, 2026, among representative samples of 1,528 Canadians and 1,015 Americans.