Tracy Davidson

CNBC reveals 10 of the “Unhappiest States in America.” Pennsylvania and Delaware are not in the running, but Jersey has placed in the number five spot and New York City takes the lead.

As it turns out, some of the highest income states are among the unhappiest, according to a recent study by economists Andrew J. Oswald and Stephen Wu, of the University of Warwick and Hamilton College, respectively.

Taking into account both subjective and objective factors such as sunshine, congestion and pollution in a survey of 1.3 million Americans between 2005 and 2008, the researchers determined which states have the happiest – and unhappiest – residents. Among the happiest are Louisiana, Hawaii and Florida.

“Some might be surprised that states in the south with lower income ranked as high as they did,” said Wu, economist at Hamilton College. “States with high income rate fairly low on the happiness levels. To some it might seem counterintuitive; it’s not just about income levels, but those places might be more crowded, more congested on the roadway, [have] less available land.”

1. New York

• unemployment: 8.6%
• median household income: $50,643
• sales tax: 4%

2. Connecticut

• unemployment: 8.2%
• median household income: $65,644
• sales tax: 6%

3. Michigan

• unemployment: 14.7%
• median household income: $50,528
• sales tax: 6%

4. Indiana

• unemployment: 9.6%
• median household income: $47,898
• sales tax: 7%

5. New Jersey

• unemployment: 9.7%
• median household income: $64,070
• sales tax: 7%

6. California

• unemployment: 12.3%
• median household income: $57,445
• sales tax: 7.25%

7. Illinois

• unemployment: 10.9%
• median household income: $53,889
• sales tax: 6.25%

8. Massachusetts

• unemployment: 8.8%
• median household income: $60,515
• sales tax: 5%

9. Ohio

• unemployment: 10.6%
• median household income: $48,960
• sales tax: 5.5%

10. Rhode Island

• unemployment: 12.7%
• median household income: $57,445
• sales tax: 7%

http://www.cnbc.com/id/34526151/?slide=1

Tags: consumer, economy, unhappiest states