The folks at WalletHub have recently attempted to determine the “most fun states in America” through a deep analysis of each state’s recreation, dining and nightlife options, among other metrics.
The site’s results indicate that Florida — with its bevy of beaches, bars and bright, sunny skies — is the most “fun” of them all.
“Florida is the most fun state in 2024, leading the country when it comes to the number of restaurants, amusement parks, arcades and music festivals per capita,” a writer for WalletHub wrote of the findings.
To determine the ranking, WalletHub’s analysts attempted to score each state on 26 different metrics divided into two categories: Entertainment & Recreation, and Nightlife. The former category included metrics concerning beaches, weather, theme parks, golf courses and national parks (among other metrics), while the latter were more concerned with bars, theater, casinos and the cost of alcohol or movie tickets.
Florida earned a final score of 65.51, placing it just ahead of California at No. 2 (which earned a score of 65.14) and several points above third-place Nevada (59.12). It’s worth noting, though, that California beat Florida in the “Entertainment & Recreation” category” (Florida came in at No. 2) and both Nevada and New York beat Florida in the Nightlife department (Florida earned the No. 3 spot).
Still, Florida’s overall score was enough to edge out the rest of the country. But Illinois, home to Chicago and many attractions, ranked in the top 10, finishing sixth overall.
The top ten “most fun” states (as determined by WalletHub) are below:
- Florida
- California
- Nevada
- New York
- Colorado
- Illinois
- Texas
- Washington
- Minnesota
- Louisiana
The same list also includes WalletHub’s analysis of the least fun states in the U.S., with West Virginia ranking dead last with a total score of 17.01. Other un-fun states joining West Virginia near the bottom can be found below:
- North Dakota
- Kentucky
- New Hampshire
- Connecticut
- Vermont
- Arkansas
- Rhode Island
- Delaware
- Mississippi
- West Virginia
Additional information, including more on the most-fun states and WalletHub’s methodology, can be found at WalletHub’s official website.
