Iowa Couples Are Some Of The Most Miserable in the Country

You've heard the old saying "Happy wife, happy life." It appears as if there are a lot of unhappy wives, girlfriends, husbands, and boyfriends in the state of Iowa. To be fair...there's a LOT of unhappy couples throughout the entire midwest. I've been married for a total of 9 days so far and I'm hoping my new wife and I can avoid this Iowa trend.

Least Happy Couples Live In...

While Iowa couples aren't dead last for the state with the least happy couples, they're pretty dang close. Wisconsin takes home the trophy for least happy couples in America, according to Counseling Psychology. Iowa couples are supposedly the second most miserable in the U.S.

84% of Americans do report being genuinely pretty happy in their relationship, as the study conducted uses a "happiness scale" based on a score out of 100. Counseling Psychology based their study on romantic happiness, family relations, and shared laughter, to name a few. While 84% of couples reported being genuinely happy, there wasn't a single state that scored above 71 on the "happiness scale."

What's The Cause?

What causes the most strain on Iowa couples? One of the biggest reasons for Iowa's overall score to only be at 60.82 is long-lasting disagreements. The study shows that Iowa couples spend an average of 19 hours per week dealing with arguments and/or disputes.

I Have A Theory...

I'm curious if the long and cold winters in the Midwest could possibly have an impact on many of the Midwest state's scores. Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and Indiana all deal with freezing temperatures and snow. When it gets cold, windy, and snowy, we spend a lot more time cooped up inside with our significant others. When you're constantly surrounded by someone, it can get pretty easy to get annoyed at every little thing they do.

That's just me throwing out a hypothesis. I'm no relationship expert. I'm just genuinely curious if "cabin fever" has an impact. I might be way off base, especially with Alabama tying for the 3rd least happy state. According to Britannica, Alamba averages a temperature of 48 in the winter months, so it's not exactly what we midwesterners would call "cold" down there.

I've been with my wife for 7 years and it's been filled with challenges, struggles, happiness, and bliss, all at the same time. Here's to hoping my relationship and yours won't become a part of this Iowa statistic.