Wandering through a field of sunflowers, going for a drive in the country or just living in a small-town community are just a few basic amenities of living in South Dakota. These are also some of the reasons why South Dakota ranks as the ninth happiest state in the United States, according to Wallethub.

There are three different aspects of living which contribute to the ranking. S.D. took 14th in emotional well-being, 13th in the work environment and eighth in community environment, each measuring the overall happiness, satisfaction and productivity in each category.

South Dakota also ranks first in highest adequate-sleep rate.

S.D. has one of the lowest costs of living in the country. The prevalence of smaller towns causes the living to also be very easy and slow going.

Sophomore electrical engineering major Jesse Kreutzfeldt said “I’m not surprised by South Dakota’s ranking. I usually think there’d be higher amounts of depression and such in more populated areas. Plus, we have closer towns and communities here.”

While the slower pace may be what many want out of their living, many look for just the opposite.

“I’ve always had more fun in Minnesota. There’s just a lot more to do year-round. We have the lakes, slopes and the cities,” said sophomore civil engineering Elizabeth Sobania.

South Dakota is ranked above Nebraska but below Iowa for happiness. Minnesota ranked third and North Dakota ranked fourth.

The main score comes from ratings in other smaller categories. South Dakota currently leads in highest adequate-sleep rate and is second in highest income growth and volunteer rate.

Other subcategories include physical health index and job satisfaction which also play into the overall scoring and ranking.  

To see the full list and methodology, visit Wallethub’s “2018’s Happiest States in America” list online.