Can money buy happiness?
It’s an age-old question, but no matter your answer, most seem to agree that money can at least guarantee some measure of security and stability.
So how much money do you need for these tangible building blocks of “happiness”? In a recent study, personal finance site GOBankingRates sought to answer the question by ranking the cost of happiness in all 50 states.
Here’s how much it’ll run you in Wisconsin.
How much does it cost to be happy in Wisconsin?
The minimum annual salary needed to be happy in Wisconsin is $100,170, according to GOBankingRates. That’s well over the average annual salary of $58,552 in Wisconsin.
But if your salary isn’t in the six digits, don’t worry: the study put the price for a “state of emotional well-being” in Wisconsin anywhere from $57,240 to $71,550. That income range falls within the amount needed to be considered middle class in Milwaukee, which is between $31,247 and $93,274, according to a 2023 SmartAsset study .
The price tag on happiness in Wisconsin is also a bit lower than the ideal income of $105,000 for life satisfaction in North America, according to a Purdue University analysis . To calculate the cost of happiness in the U.S., GOBankignRates compared this benchmark against the cost-of-living index in each state.