A study released by the United States National Bureau of Economic Research this summer showed Louisiana is the happiest state in the U.S.

Lafayette, Houma, Shreveport-Bossier City and Baton Rouge made the list of the top 10 U.S. metropolitan areas with highest reported happiness. There were no other cities within the same state to top the list, putting Louisiana in first place.

For most of its residents, it’s no surprise Louisiana is considered the happiest state.

Cheryl Shaver of Thibodaux said, “We have that happiness nature in us, there is no culture as nice as us.”

Shaver believes the Louisiana culture’s traditions, sparks its happiness, and there is always someone willing to talk to you. Though Shaver said it might go unnoticed by locals because it’s a part of everyday life, it is no shock to see Louisiana ranked first for being the happiest state.

Zera Johnson, an interdisciplinary studies senior from New Orleans, said that she understands why Louisiana was ranked the happiest state in the country because the state is full of happy people.

“Even though I am happy on my own, what also makes me happy is being surrounded by happy people, and that’s exactly how everyone is in Thibodaux: very welcoming and receptive, which I really like,” Johnson said.

Johnson also noticed dance gatherings being a factor of Louisiana’s happiness, especially events with Zydeco music.

“Everything is centered around being together. There is a get together for any reason,” Johnson said.

People from other states agreed that Louisiana should be ranked as the happiest state. A’na Knoll, freshman from Atlanta, Ga., said she can see Louisiana being ranked highly in the study because everybody is very friendly and welcoming despite only being in Thibodaux for a few days.

“I’m a little nervous being here but I feel I’ll be okay because everyone is so nice and I’ll be well taken care of,” Knoll said.

The study also showed New York City as the unhappiest in the U.S. on an adjusted basis, but still being the third unhappiest region. Placed as the unhappiest cities, following New York City, were St. Joseph, Mo., South Bend, Ind., Erie, Penn., and the Evansville, Ind.-Henderson, Ky. area.

The data collected for the study came from a working paper by Harvard professor Edward Glaeser, Vancouver School of Economics professor Joshua Gottlieb and Harvard doctoral student Oren Ziv.
The research relied on a large survey that asked respondents about their satisfaction with life. The gathered data came from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey called the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, and then adjusted it for age, sex, race, income and other factors.

The final outcome of the study showed that while those in some cites seem to be gloomy, the people of Louisiana are busy with being happy.