Why are we SO unhappy in Washington and Oregon?  It can't be a Northwest thing. Families in Idaho ranked as third happiest in the country according to a new nationwide survey.

Seattleites and Portlanders live in the the top 2 unhappiest cities for families in the country according to mixbook's study of the happiest families in the U.S.

The results are based on family dynamics so there is the first clue.

Are family bonds stronger in some areas than others and does it correlate to happiness?  However, proximity to or how often you visit family members is not a primary factor according to the researchers.

The survey found the happiest families living in Virginia Beach, VA, Albuquerque, NM, and Los Angeles, CA.  where respondents most appreciated time with their families. The city with the least family happiness found 1 in 3 people said their family only gets together when they have to.  Obviously not a good family dynamic there!

Surprisingly, only 1 in 5 Americans say they love time with their loved ones and 58% prefer spending time with their families in moderation. When it comes to their own families, nearly three out of four describe their family as happier than most.

The happiest families are in Tennessee, the least happy are in.... well, we will get to that in a moment.

Take a look at this map showing the happiest and unhappiest families in the country, by state

Now back to how states were ranked as the unhappiest families in the country, Oregon was ranked as the least happiest families at #40, Michiganders came in at #39 and then Washington families charted at #39 for the least happiness in the U.S.  There was not enough data for 10 states to be included)

Worse yet, Portland, OR and Seattle, WA ranked 1st and 2nd for the cities with the  unhappiest families in the country.  Quoting mixbook's report, "When it comes to serious arguments, 1 in 10 Oregon residents say they fight with family members monthly".  No wonder, Portlanders revealed in the survey they only gathered with family members when they had to.

Hopefully your family is getting along with the Holidays approaching and to read more about the survey findings and ways to improve the family dynamic, CLICK HERE