These are the top 10 happiest and healthiest U.S. states
Is it time to think about relocating?
Is it time to think about relocating?
Is it time to think about relocating?
Balmy weather, gorgeous beaches, picturesque and an efficient health care system? Sounds an awful lot like paradise, right? Sure. But these are also some of the reasons why Hawaii just topped for the seventh year in a row.
The research organization published the results of the healthiest and happiest states in the United States, a ranking based on the way residents graded their careers, , , physical health and their communities at large. Gallup collected more than 115,000 survey responses from U.S. adults in all 50 states for the entire year of 2018.
Using a scale of 0 to 100, with 0 being the lowest possible well-being and 100 the highest, the calculations took into consideration survey respondents' relationships and families, , economic security, neighborhood safety and pride in the community, plus health and energy levels to maintain an active lifestyle. Below are the results for the , along with their well-being index score.
- Hawaii: 64.6
- Wyoming: 64.2
- Alaska: 63.9
- Montana: 63.5
- Utah: 63.4
- Colorado: 63.4
- Vermont: 63.3
- Delaware: 62.9
- South Dakota: 62.7
- North Dakota: 62.7
It comes as no surprise that the popular destination island ranks at number one. Gallup's research director, Dan Witters, told "" that it comes down to more than just lush greenery and stunning views.
"So while at first blush, it seems intuitive — 'Of course, it’s Hawaii' — the way that we measure well-being doesn’t necessarily give Hawaii a leg up on the other states just as a function of where it’s located and the year-round outdoor weather," Witters said. "It comes down to who lives there and what kind of culture do you have. 'This is the way we do things around here.'"
According to Witters, the suggests that Hawaii residents responded favorably to having healthy relationships among friends and loved ones and that they enjoy their careers. Hawaii and Colorado are the only two states to be included in the top 10 since Gallup began its ranking in 2008. Alaska has also appeared on the list several times and ranks highest, per Witters, in physical health.
"They do a really good job taking care of themselves," Witters said, adding that 70 percent of residents said they get at least 30 minutes of exercise three or more days a week.
Unfortunately, it's the opposite for West Virginia, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee, which were ranked as the top five unhappiest states. So if you're looking to and health, you might want to consider heading west.