NEW: RI 30th Happiest State in the US, Says Gallup
Monday, August 22, 2011
How happy is Rhode Island? About average, according to the latest numbers from the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. But on the upswing.
Rhode Island comes in at #30 nationally on the well-known index's mid-year assessment, with a Well-Being score of 66.2, below the 66.4 national average. Rhode Island's 2010 ranking was #33 overall, with a score of 65.7.
Happiest states
Hawaii topped this year's ranking, followed closely by North Dakota, Alaska, Nebraska, and Minnesota. New Hampshire was New England's happiest state at #9, followed by Vermont at #12, Massachusetts at #13, Connecticut at #20, and Maine at #25.
What makes a state happy?
The Well-Being Index score for the nation and for each state is an average of six sub-indexes, which individually examine life evaluation, emotional health, work environment, physical health, healthy behaviors, and access to basic necessities. The January through June 2011 aggregate includes more than 177,000 interviews conducted among national adults, aged 18 and older.
It could be worse. We could be West Virginia, which once again stays in last place.
For more on the mid-year Gallup-Healthways rankings, go here.