So how happy are you, really? It turns out a pretty substantial determining factor is all about where you live. According to Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, which measures regional contentment levels, certain states are much merrier than others. And you might be surprised by which states appear at the top (and bottom) of this annual list.
The happiest state for 2015 is a bit of a no-brainer: Hawaii, recipient of the No. 1 spot five times since 2008. But this year’s second-place winner—and first last year—is more of a shocker: Alaska. Really? Apparently, people are happiest if they get the hell out of the contiguous 48 states and head for a place where they get plenty of sunshine—or very little.
Still, what can be said for both of these states is that the view is breathtaking, whether you’re gazing at Matanuska Glacier or Waikiki Beach.
“Alaska and Hawaii are both beautiful states in their own way but distinctly different,” the survey’s research director explained.
The other top five happiest states include Montana, Colorado, and Wyoming. So, wide-open spaces in northern climes are apparently good for the soul. The least happy state? West Virginia, which has been dead last in the rankings for the past seven years. Next up on the misery index are Kentucky, Oklahoma, Ohio, and Indiana.
So how exactly are these rankings compiled, anyway? By a phone call with residents across the U.S., asking questions that hit on well-being from a variety of angles, including purpose (“Do you like what you do every day?”), community (“Do you like where you live?”), and physical condition (“How’s your health and energy?”).
Granted, we’re not saying your doldrums will be instantly solved by picking up and moving. Still, it’s worth noting that your surroundings do make a difference.
As one Hawaiian told the Washington Post while gazing out at Ala Moana Beach Park, “Even if you wake up kind of sad or unhappy, you can just come down to the beach.” Sounds like a pretty good panacea to us.