Where are most enjoyable states? See the place Kansas ranks in 2026

Where are the most fun states to call home or visit?

That’s what financial company WalletHub sought to find out while considering both fun and affordability.

Some states, like California and Florida, rose to the top of the rankings. Others, including Mississippi and West Virginia, took the bottom spots.

So, where did Kansas rank?

Toward the bottom, at No. 39.

To rank the 50 U.S. states, WalletHub analysts evaluated 26 metrics that fell within two categories: “Entertainment & Recreation” and “Nightlife.”

“Entertainment & Recreation” included the number of attractions, restaurants per capita, shoreline mileage and access to scenic byways in each state. The “Nightlife” category looked at average beer and wine price, time of last call and casinos per capita.

“Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 indicating the greatest number and variety of fun and cost-effective options,” WalletHub’s Aug. 18 report said. “We then determined each state’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.”

Kansas received a score of 29.93, compared to California’s 67.35 and West Virginia’s 20.57.

In the individual categories, the Sunflower State ranked No. 40 in “Entertainment & Recreation” and No. 34 in “Nightlife.”

Map of the most fun states

The map below shows the rankings of each state, according to WalletHub.

“Living in one of the most fun states can boost your mental, physical and emotional health by giving you a wide range of activities to choose from, both indoor and outdoor,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in the report. “These states help residents stay active and socialize, and they’re also ideal for travelers who want to make the most out of the limited amount of time that they have to explore.”