These Are the ‘Happiest’ States in the U.S.

DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 02, 2016

Hawaii reclaims its number one spot as the “happiest” state in the country – bumping out last year’s winner Alaska. The state has held the happiness title five times since 2008, according to the latest Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index.

Read more: A Surprising State Named Top-Moving Spot

The index measures the well-being of states across five elements: purpose, social, financial, community and physical. In 2015, financial well-being increased as well as physical fitness while there were also declines in both food and healthcare insecurity. What’s more, life evaluation – in which how Americans rate and perceive their lives – surged to a record high, according to the index.

“Well-being in the U.S. exhibits regional patterns, with the northern plains and mountain west reporting higher levels of well-being, along with some western states and pockets in the northeast and Atlantic states,” according to the report.

For 2015, here are the states that scored the highest in well-being, according to the index:

1. Hawaii
2. Alaska
3. Montana
4. Colorado
5. Wyoming
6. South Dakota
7. Minnesota
8. Utah
9. Arizona
10. California
11. Texas
12. Florida
13. Wisconsin
14. Iowa
15. North Dakota

Download the report to the full list to see where your state stacks up on the well-being index.

Source: “2015 State Well-Being Rankings,” Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index (January 2016)