DOLLARS FOR HAPPINESS: They say you can’t put a price on happiness, but a survey conducted recently by Solitaired.com showed that Pennsylvanians can, to the tune of a 39% salary increase or an average of $16,417 per year.

The survey reached 3,900 full-time employees who live across the United States, asking them about current levels of happiness and how much more money they would need to be happier.

In Alaska, the rate of salary increase was 60%, while the lowest surveyed was Arkansas with 20%. This leaves Pennsylvanians in the middle for happiness levels and a theoretical salary increase.

Despite these figures, the research found that only a minority (15%) of respondents truly believe money can buy genuine happiness, although almost half (47%) of respondents admit to having purchased unnecessary items in a futile attempt to make themselves feel happier. Others (53%) who have presumably been more reflective during the pandemic, say the crisis has prompted them to re-evaluate what makes them happy in life.

Over 1 in 10 (12%) people who live alone and play online games say they have formed true friendships online, and more than a quarter (27%) say this helps them feel less lonely.

Interestingly, 29% of online gamers say they mostly play against strangers; 33% say they compete with friends and 38% say they usually play against A.I. technology.

“They say the best things in life are free,” says Neal Taparia from Solitaired.com, “and it seems as if people are increasingly getting more satisfaction from things that don’t cost lots of money, such as time spent in the company of friends and family, or fun, sociable pursuits — either online or in person.”