ST. LOUIS – People who live in Illinois are among the happiest in the nation, while those who live in Missouri are not, according to a new national study.

Schoolaroo, a nonprofit educational research company, recently released its “Happiest States” study, collecting data from all 50 states to measure happiness levels.

Illinois was named the second-happiest state in the U.S. Missouri was named the 42nd-happiest, or ninth-least happiest state.

The research team analyzed 54 metrics across seven key categories, including:

Employment

Leisure Activities

Mental Health

Personal Finance

Personal Relationships

Physical Health

Social Policies

“The influences of our daily lives, such as working conditions, safety, the frequency with which we pursue hobbies, as well as our overall mental and physical health, directly influence our happiness,” said Schoolaroo. “These factors differ from state to state.”

Massachusetts was named the happiest state, while West Virginia was named the least-happiest state.