7 States With the Happiest People

October 2, 2015

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Do you think the state where you live is a “happy” place to live? Does it foster an environment where you and your family can thrive physically, emotionally, financially, and practically?

The Gallup-Healthways well-being index scores indicate that some states score much higher than others in several metrics which indicate “happiness” among residents. Gallup-Healthways began tracking well-being back in 2008. And to determine each state’s well being index (which is scored on a scale of 0 to 100), the research database conducted more than 176,000 interviews with various residents across the country. The index score is centered around these five essential elements of well-being:

Purpose: liking what you do each day and being motivated to achieve your goals

Social: having supportive relationships and love in your life

Financial: managing your economic life to reduce stress and increase security

Community: liking where you live, feeling safe, and having pride in your community

Physical: having good health and enough energy to get things done daily

For each state, the well-being reports also analyzes topics, such as health, healthy behaviors, work environment, and access to necessities such as food, shelter, and medical care. Each state, as well as some of the communities within each state, are provided with scores based on these areas.

So which states score the highest, and can be considered the “happiest” states? Read on to find out.

7. Nebraska

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Nebraska has ranked in the top 10 for happiness five times since 2008.
The state’s residents ranked particularly high in physical health and emotional health in 2013.
Residents in Nebraska also have historically high life evaluation scores, which “combines the evaluation of one’s present life situation with one’s anticipated life situation five years from now,” according to the Gallup-Healthways index.

	Score	Rank among other states
Overall well-being	63.1	7
Life evaluation	56.3	1
Emotional health	81.6	5
Work environment	51.0	12
Physical health	79.3	3
Healthy behaviors	64.9	21
Basic access	85.2	8
	Source: Gallup-Healthways Index (2013-14)

6. Colorado

Source: Thinkstock

Colorado has ranked in the top 10 for happiness seven times since 2008.
Colorado scored in the top across the board in 2013.

	Score	Rank among other states
Overall well-being	63.2	6
Life evaluation	52.5	7
Emotional health	80.5	14
Work environment	50.8	13
Physical health	78.5	4
Healthy behaviors	67.2	7
Basic access	84.2	11
	Source: Gallup-Healthways Index (2013-14)

5. Montana

Montana via Facebook

Montana has ranked in the top 10 for happiness six times since 2008.
Residents in Montana ranked high for their healthy behaviors, life evaluation, emotional health, and work environment in 2013.

	Score	Rank among other states
Overall well-being	63.7	5
Life evaluation	54.8	2
Emotional health	81.5	6
Work environment	41.9	6
Physical health	77.6	16
Healthy behaviors	67.7	3
Basic access	82.6	23
	Source: Gallup-Healthways Index (2013-14)

4. Wyoming

Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images

Wyoming has ranked in the top 10 for happiness three times since 2008.

	Score	Rank among other states
Overall well-being	63.9	4
Life evaluation	44.5	46
Emotional health	80.5	13
Work environment	46.6	36
Physical health	74.9	40
Healthy behaviors	64.5	24
Basic access	82.3	26
	Source: Gallup-Healthways Index (2013-14)

3. South Dakota

source: iStock

South Dakota has ranked in the top 10 for happiness three times since 2008.
In 2013, the state scored high in access (to necessities like medical care, food and shelter), work environment, and emotional health.

	Score	Rank among other states
Overall well-being	64.3	3
Life evaluation	52.1	8
Emotional health	82.4	3
Work environment	57.7	2
Physical health	77.7	13
Healthy behaviors	64.5	25
Basic access	85.8	5
	Source: Gallup-Healthways Index (2013-14)

2. Hawaii