Financial advice forum WalletHub has conducted another deep dive to analyze which states offer the most fun.
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If you’re new to WalletHub, it’s a platform that specializes in helping you budget, invest, and otherwise safeguard your money. The company knows a thing or two about digging into numbers-driven data to study and compare options—whether financial or travel-related.
This time around, the analysts at WalletHub have taken into account factors like National Park Service data, the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, the US Census Bureau, and even resources like Beachapedia to figure out which states offer more ways to enjoy life.
Naturally, the results are skewed—after all, what’s fun to one person might be a nightmare to another. However, in general, factors like music festivals, beer and wine prices, access to national parks, marinas per capita, and number of attractions (just to name a few metrics) are usually a solid indicator that you’re in store for a few smiles.
America’s most fun states, according to a new WalletHub study
Like I just outlined, this study takes into account many different metrics that correlate with good times. In total, the study weighs 26 different metrics. Three factors are given more weight, meaning they affect the final standings more. These include the total number of attractions per state, variety of arts, entertainment, & recreation establishments, and ideal weather.
Without further ado, these are the top ten most fun states in America:
- California
- Florida
- Illinois
- Nevada
- New York
- Colorado
- Washington
- Texas
- Minnesota
- Arizona
But what about the other end of the spectrum? Which US states underdeliver when it comes to entertainment, outdoor time, and other important factors for having fun?
According to the same WalletHub study, these are the ten least fun states in America:
- West Virginia (least fun)
- Mississippi
- Vermont
- Arkansas
- Delaware
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut
- New Hampshire
- Alabama
- Maine
- North Dakota
