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LiveScience.com Mon Mar 7, 5:50 pm ET
Sun and waves might be good for the soul, according to a new national survey
naming Hawaii as tops in well-being among U.S. states but the sunshine
doesn't necessarily elbow out Northern Lights and snow, as Alaska also made the
top 10 happiest states list.
The 2010 telephone survey was conducted by the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being
Index between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31. Results showed the South may need some smile
help, with 10 southern states falling into the lower range of the list. Many
western states, however, shined in well-being, with five of the top 10 located
in that region of the country. [Related: Happiest States Revealed by New
Research]
The survey which included a random sample of 352,840 adults ages 18 and older
living in the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia looked at six
categories of well-being. These categories included life evaluation
(self-evaluation about your present life situation and anticipated one in five
years); emotional health; work environment (such as job satisfaction); physical
health; healthy behavior; and basic access (access to health care, a doctor, a
safe place to exercise and walk, as well as community satisfaction).
The top 10 states and their average well-being scores (out of a possible 100
points):
1. Hawaii: 71.0
2. Wyoming: 69.2
3. North Dakota: 68.4
4. Alaska: 68.3
5. Colorado: 68.0
6. Minnesota: 68.0
7. South Dakota: 68.0
8. Utah: 67.9
9. Connecticut: 67.9
10. Nebraska: 67.8
11. Massachusetts: 67.8
The bottom 10 states
1. West Virginia: 61.7
2. Kentucky: 61.9
3. Mississippi: 63.0
4. Arkansas: 63.7
5. Alabama: 63.7
6. Ohio: 63.8
7. Delaware: 64.2
8. Nevada: 64.2
9. Louisiana: 64.3
10. Michigan: 64.6
(Full list of happiest states)
Hawaii's stellar placement was due to its scores on three well-being
categories: life evaluation, emotional health and physical health. At the other
end of the spectrum, West Virginia came in last by performing worst on those
same three categories.
Delaware residents reported the worst work environments in the country, while
those living in South Dakota were most positive about work conditions.
Compared with 2009 well-being results, Vermont still boasted the best overall
health habits in America, and Kentucky continued to have the worst.
Massachusetts residents indicated the best access to necessities crucial to
high well-being, while Mississippi residents again reported the worst, with a
score on this index even lower than it was in 2009.
Climbing the well-being ladder
With many states encountering fiscal problems that have led to layoffs and
salary cuts of public employees along with public-school closings, Gallup
experts say it'll be an upward climb to improve states' well-being scores. [5
Things That Will Make You Happier]
They say states must find a way to increase residents' access to good jobs and
basic necessities including medical care while decreasing costly, chronic
conditions, such as obesity and diabetes. These steps, Gallup says, will be the
most likely ways to improve well-being.
But the role these factors play in a person's happiness has been up for debate.
Happiness, it seems, is a pretty complex state.
Research published in December 2009 issue of the Journal of Research in
Personality looked at the relationship between 2008 well-being scores and
various factors, including economic indicators, education levels, personality
traits and levels of inclusiveness. They found the states with higher gross
regional product (GRP) per capita (level of productivity and standard of
living), higher income levels and higher median housing value were
significantly happier than poorer areas.
In addition, the happiest states in 2008 tended to have more residents with
advanced educations and jobs that were considered "super-creative," such as
architecture, engineering, computer and math occupations, library positions,
arts and design work, as well as entertainment, sports and media occupations.
Researchers conducting another study, which was published in the Dec. 17, 2009
issue of the journal Science, generated a different happiest-states list that
relied on people's self-reported evaluation of well-being. The team of
researchers reported the self-evaluations matched up with objective measures of
well-being.
The team publishing their work in Science used their data to statistically
create a representative American. That way they could take, for example, a
38-year-old woman with a high-school diploma and making medium-wage who is
living anywhere and transplant her to another state and get a rough estimate of
her happiness level.
Other studies have shown being happy means being old, male and Republican.