Do You Live in One of the 'Happiest States' in the U.S.?

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]