Do You Live in One of the ‘Happiest States’ in the U.S.?
- Posted on August 23, 2011 at 11:30pm by
Liz Klimas
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The happiest states in the United States have been identified for 2011. And no, neither of the states that are home to Disneyland or Disney World — supposedly the happiest place on earth — made the cut.
Holding it’s claim to the happiest state in the country three years running? Hawaii. Perhaps a surprising second and third? North Dakota and Alaska, which were actually in the top 10 last year as well.
These 2011 results of the Gallup poll, are preliminary and will be more officially released in 2012. The poll ranks states each year since 2008 according to Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index from 177,600 Americans ages 18 and older. The index examines sub-index scores — life evaluation, emotional health, work environment, physical health, healthy behavior and basic access — which then make up the total score. The results are calculated on a scale of 0 to 100, where a score of 100 would represent ideal well-being.
Here are the country’s top 10:
- Hawaii: 71.1
- North Dakota: 70.5
- Alaska: 69.4
- Nebraska: 68.4
- Minnesota: 68.3
- Colorado: 68.3
- Utah: 68.1
- New Hampshire: 67.9
- Iowa: 67.9
- Kansas: 67.8
- Vermont: 67.8
- Maryland: 67.8
Three states tied and are included in the top 10.
For comparison’s sake, here’s a look at the top states for 2010, released officially in March 2011.
- Hawaii: 71.0
- Wyoming: 69.2
- North Dakota: 68.4
- Alaska: 68.3
- Colorado: 68.0
- Minnesota: 68.0
- South Dakota: 68.0
- Utah: 67.9
- Connecticut: 67.9
- Nebraska: 67.8
- Massachusetts: 67.8
Live Science has more:
North Dakota gets the award for most improved, moving up in well-being scores proportionally more than any other state, from 68.4 last year to this year’s 70.5. Wyoming took the biggest plunge, dropping from last year’s 69.2 to 66.5 on the well-being index. (Gallup notes Wyoming has a relatively small sample size at the midway point of the year and so a larger margin of error.)
See the complete list of preliminary results here.
[H/T Live Science]
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Tigertame4
Posted on August 28, 2011 at 5:24pmI USED to live in the Happiest State, the state of denial and ignorance. Now I live in the state of informed reality thanks to Glenn Beck. Not as happy but more in control of my life.
Report Post »kaijue
Posted on August 28, 2011 at 3:36pmAren’t the parameters of deciding happy states the same parameters that Agenda 21 is forcing down the throats of the American People and this Government is using to force new regulations destroying businesses? This is just another way to prove a point based on a predetermined objective. It is a manipulation of the data?
Report Post »carlpn77
Posted on August 28, 2011 at 3:26pm@Bought your Silo Yet…..I’m sorry but despite of the influx of idiots from california here to Arizona we REMAIN a RED STATE!!! They are so stupid when they run for office the declare their affiliation with california and no one votes for them and in the last election all of the progressives in congress were voted out!! And I too lived in Colorado and remember it being anything like it is today!! How very sad!! AND to top it off they screwed up the real estate market here and I’m not sure it will ever recover!!
Report Post »carlpn77
Posted on August 28, 2011 at 3:22pmDespite the “denial” of the federal government to address the illegal alien and boarder problems here in Arizona I‘d have to say we’re a pretty happy bunch! Sunshine nearly daily and 9 months of beautiful weather. Spring baseball, the lovely mountains and desert….now if only we can keep the progressives from migrating here from california………life would be perfect!
Report Post »kmbr
Posted on August 28, 2011 at 7:22pmAbsolutely. Any top ten list sans Arizona is flawed.
Report Post »evilpa
Posted on August 28, 2011 at 3:18pmI can testify that Nebraska is a FABULOUS place to live! We have four seasons, we have something like 3% unemployment, and our jobs are not minimum wage jobs, they are professional jobs. We have a low cost of living, arts & entertainment, sports, large cities, quaint small towns, and farmland to rival any in the world. We can take care of ourselves here, and we feed the world I left for a couple of years, and am so glad to be back home where people are “real”, we love each other and take care of one another, and that is what life is all about and what makes us a very happy state.
Report Post »LOJ
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 11:33amTry living in Illinois where we have had 3 governors Ryan, Blagozevich, and Quinn reprimanded for Corruption. The State is Broke, the Taxpayers are Broke, the Liberals pay to win elections and the dead vote, keeping the entire Conservative DownState Illinois in a Nightmare. If anyone should sesede it should be to divide the state of Illinois into 2 sections so that the hardworking Taxpayers aren’t carrying the Load for the Chicagoland Thugs and Mobsters, and Liberal-corrupt government, even worse with Rahm Emmanuel as Mayor. People are glad to leave this state!
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 6:44pmLoj- I live in Illinois too. I wonder if it is at the bottom of the list.
Report Post »afroturfplungerhead
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 11:24amMaryland??? MARYLAND?? are you kidding me? After seeing that, I’m surprised Virginia didnt make it !
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 10:34amYou would think climate would have MORE to do with this poll? Imagine what this will look like if OBAMA gets another term and we run out of money for all the freebies? It will look VERY different. Many of these people are content getting everything free and passing the bill onto to future taxpayers! ANYONE BUT OBAMA 2012
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 6:54amWait until the Federal Government runs out of money and see how happy the Hawaiian teat suckers are…
Report Post »Cat
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 5:21amOh sure, snow and bitter cold beats out blue green water, gentle sea breezes, sunrise over a sea, sunsets over a gulf, white sandy beaches, swamps, unbearable heat, noisy powerboats, girls in thongs, hi-rise bedroom communities, free beer tomorrow signs, occasional hurricanes, more out-of-state & part-time residents than natives, casinos popping up on every corner and a government that has no clue …
Report Post »BOUGHT YOUR SILO YET?
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 2:28amAnyone else find it interesting that with the exception of Hawaii, all the other states typically have very cold winters and lots of snow. And- that is what makes me happy. Lots and lots of snow. It’s truly my element.
Report Post »Ron_WA
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 3:25amI think it’s because it keeps the riff-raff & liberals out. They’ll never more to a place where one has to work at survival.
Report Post »TarLion
Posted on August 25, 2011 at 1:37pmI live in Wyoming and it snows here about 8 months out of the year, we get two months of summer (July and August) and I love it here! It is a conservative state with a new conservative governor, two conservative senators, wide open spaces, big skies, clean air, and plenty of mountains close by.
Report Post »Rubicon
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 2:03amI live in the happiest state, born and raised here. It’s true we are typically more relaxed and always have our Ohana around or at least near most of the time. It may be a liberal state (boo), but I’m optimistic that one day the people of Hawaii will wake up and stop voting the same dumb politicians to office over and over. We also love our spam! We consume more spam than any state in the nation, we also eat more poke (pronounced poh-key, raw fish) than any state, and we have an average year round temp of 80 degrees. I love our Aloha spirit and most locals try to convey that to our visitors. Aloha and Mahalo from the happiest state in the nation.
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 7:15amI’m Hawaiian as well. Aloha comes from the Hebrew word Eloah, which means God. The Aloha Spirit is given freely, openly and with open arms. I don’t live there now, very spiritual place I call Home.
Report Post »CitizenVetUSA
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 12:46amIt’s 115 outside here in North Scottsdale Arizona. But 72 inside my home, car, office, shopping mall and after dark meal while lounging in the backyard pool with drink and no flying insects is paradise.
Report Post »Ron_WA
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 12:44amDid everyone else notice once we gave the Blaze staff a bit of grief over knowing the correct speeling (intentional) & the meaning of “STEELS” versus “STEALS” that the story disappeared? C’mon Blaze take a bit of ribbing.
Report Post »stumblemouth
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 12:28amNORTH DAKOTA? The bleak, flat landscape that stretches on seemingly forever? I was in Fargo in winter once, and thought I was visiting the frozen version of hell on earth. Or at least a cold, whited out limbo. Brrr.
Report Post »ndbeckfan
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 12:39amNext time you fill your car with gas, remember the phrase “Rockin’ the Bakken”. We may be sitting on one of the largest oil deposits ever! And if you live east of here we are probably shipping you electricity, as we also are sitting on some of the largest coal deposits. Other than that we just grow wheat, corn, oats, barley, and flax here. A large amount of honey and milk and beef also come from the region. But that’s just food, whon neds that? Why eat, you’ll just get hungry again anyway, right?Stuff you probably aren’t all that interested in. Would probably be too cold for you in the winter and too hot in the summer, so best just to stay away!
Report Post »CitizenVetUSA
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 12:39amThen it’s all about the new found oil money right?
Report Post »stumblemouth
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 12:54amNDBECK, everything you listed gets shipped out around the country. Why would you want more people to take up valuable farmland or live around coal deposits? Be glad for the flatlands and the flooding rivers, my brother.
Report Post »Ron_WA
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 1:03amI’d take that “bleak, flat landscape that stretches on seemingly forever “ w/ it’s wholesome values & old fashioned work ethic over the decadence, the depravity, lawlessness, general thuggary, & pure evil [ + add all of your favorite deadly sin here] any day in the urban cesspools no matter how cold & bleak.
P.S. – I live in a hidden cove where the mountains meet the sea just 50 miles outside the land of decadence & wouldn’t trade this for the flatlands or any other place.
Report Post »BOUGHT YOUR SILO YET?
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 2:42amRon- we lived up in Granite Falls, WA. Loved it up there. Tiny little town with great people, good common sense.
Report Post »OlefromMN
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 12:21amMN? Really? We were 90+ today with equal humidity and I am ordering snowblower parts. We are basically Berkeley North politically and we ranked 5th? Oh that’s right, Keith Ellison is from the 5th congressional district and was the inspiration of this “survey”.
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 12:09amHawaii is the Happiest state because of the Homestead laws and Welfare.
Report Post »Rubicon
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 2:14amhahaha, I’m from Hawaii, you’re right, we do have that.
My father taught me to work for everything I have, my husband is part Hawaiian and is eligible for Hawaiian Homestead land, but we rather work for our tiny piece of land that our house is on. We don’t want any organization telling us what we can or cannot do with our home and land.
But for the larger part of Hawaii we value our Ohana and show respect to others. We are always there for our family and friends when they are in need. I think that’s what makes us the happiest.
Report Post »Ron_WA
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 12:00amWA would have been up there if we didn’t have all these dang liberals dragging us down!
Report Post »Orange Pekoe Tea Party
Posted on August 28, 2011 at 3:19pmLOL. Funny and true. I am just north of Bellingham. The Liberals keep us just shy of very happy. They back the government ‘land grab’ and agriculture sector regulatory attacks. Anti-progress, anti-good.
Report Post »thought criminal
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 11:52pmThe rule is that “No matter where you go, there YOU are.”
Just sayin’. . . .
Report Post »the hawk
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 12:00amAlso you can take your unhappiness with you !
Report Post »UBETHECHANGE
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 12:07amOne of my favorites and so true.
Report Post »MODEL82A1
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 11:41pmI live in the happiest state of all, Denial. It’s even better than Ignorance.
Report Post »Ron_WA
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 12:02amI want some of what you’ve got!!! It’s waaay better than reality.
Report Post »the hawk
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 12:44amI thought Denial was a river in Egypt ? I know thats a tired line but I like it !
Report Post »but at least living in a state of Denial would be the most populated state ! At least haft the country lives there!
BOUGHT YOUR SILO YET?
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 2:32amDenial- that’s where all the libprogs live.
Report Post »Jack of Hearts
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 5:29amI live in Jeopardy – lots of jobs here at the moment. (Well if you can do the Denial joke…)
Report Post »elizzyj1
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 11:40pmWe live in beautiful South Dakota and WE LOVE IT HERE!!!! People are nice, hardworking and don’t rely on the government to give them a handout! People have their heads screwed on straight!! Good God-fearing people here. I’m glad nobody wants to move to South Dakota – WE DON’T WANT PEOPLE RUINING IT!! CALIFORNIAN’S RUINED UTAH AND NOW THEY ARE INVADING IDAHO!! I’m so glad South Dakota is too cold for the lunitics on the West coast and people on the East coast are too snobby to move here…SO IT’S PERFECT!!! STAY OUT OF SOUTH DAKOTA ALL YOU COASTAL WEIRDIES!!
Report Post »JP4JOY
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 1:00amCalifornians really messed up Nevada too! We wish they would all go back home, maybe they could invite Harry to go with them,
Report Post »InfiniteSolutions
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 1:02amNot all Californians fall in your category or want to ruin the way other states are run. I like California for the weather but there is a lot to not desire. This started in the 60′s and has become known as radical in many ways. Unfortunately California has lost the lead in admiration over the years. Truly this was a great state many years ago but has been ruined by corruption and deviant minds running the country. So, sorry for the one‘s that leave but they are probably the one’s that are fleeing the craziness here too. Not all Californians are bad and there are many conservatives, just out numbered by the crazies. Be more kind next time please.
Report Post »BOUGHT YOUR SILO YET?
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 2:39amOkay- I haven‘t said it yet today so I’ll go ahead and say it. I hate living in California (I usually say it at least once a day). And- you forgot to mention that Californians have messed up Arizona and Colorado too. When houses sky-rocketed here people sold out and bought up houses left and right in Arizona. One of the facets that created the bubble there. We also lived in CO. for a couple of years. Why do you think the idiots voted in democrats the last election whilst everyone else moved to the right.
Report Post »Gypsy123
Posted on August 23, 2011 at 11:38pmDont you think the happiest state would be the ones with the most jobs like Texas?
Report Post »Ron_WA
Posted on August 24, 2011 at 12:05amJOBS!?!? Jobs?!?! We don’t need no stinkin’ jobs; we’ve got Obama (Ha, ha, ha!)
Report Post »texasmarinemom
Posted on August 28, 2011 at 7:54pm“Texas, Our Texas”
“Texas, our Texas. All hail the mighty state!
Texas, our Texas. So wonderful, so great.
Boldest and grandest, withstanding ev’ry test.
O Empire wide and glorious. You stand supremely blest.
(chorus)
Texas, our Texas. Your freeborn single star,
Sends out it’s radiance to nations near and far,
Emblem of freedom! It sets our hearts aglow,
With thoughts of San Jacinto and glorious Alamo.
(chorus)
Texas, our Texas. From tyrant grip now free,
Shines forth in splendor, your star of destiny!
Mother of heroes, we come your children true,
Proclaiming our allegiance, our faith, our love for you.
(chorus)
Chorus:
God bless you Texas! And keep you brave and strong,
That you may grow in power and worth, throughout the ages long.
God bless you Texas! And keep you brave and strong,
That you may grow in power and worth, throughout the ages long.”
God has richly blessed Texas. It’s people are strong and bold; yet friendly and welcoming. That Texas is not included on the “happiest” states list, is not surprising. It gets hot (really hot!) in Texas in the summer. But that we have seasons, is wonderful. We Texans are justifiably proud of our state. It is rich in oil, agriculture, cattle, culture, technology, mountains, beautiful lakes and rivers, skyscrapers and expansive wide open plains; in short. . . if Texas doesn’t have it, I don’t need it!
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