Alaskans are obviously a hearty breed: They deal with rugged terrain, cold weather and a high cost of living — and they love it.
That’s according to interviews conducted in 2014 for the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. The survey of more than 176,000 adults across the country shows that Alaskans have a healthier sense of purpose, less financial stress and better physical health than residents of almost any other state.
Gallup’s mammoth annual survey, released this week, includes interviews with 500 adults every day. It measures five aspects of our lives: our sense of purpose, or how much we like what we do every day; our satisfaction with social and familial relationships; our financial situations; our happiness with the communities where we live; and our physical health and energy.
The 2014 edition shows Alaskans near the head of the pack in every category. Texans and New Mexicans had the second and third greatest sense of purpose. Only Hawaiians were more pleased than Alaskans with their financial and physical lives. Inhabitants of the Last Frontier were happier with their communities than anyone but South Dakotans and Montanans. And they scored the seventh-highest in social satisfaction; South Dakota, Wyoming and South Carolina made up the top three.
While the 10 most satisfied states were all in the West and Midwest, residents of the Rust Belt and the South were the most unhappy. West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and Mississippi dwelled at the bottom of the rankings. Virginia landed in the 14th position, while Maryland fell at 29th.
Well-being surveys aren’t just for bragging rights. Previous surveys have found that better scores are related to positive outcomes such as lower workplace absenteeism rates, better performance at work, lower obesity rates, and lower rates of teen pregnancy and crime.
And across the country, we’re all doing a little better. Gallup’s Standard of Living Index, another measure of our satisfaction with our lives, is at a high not seen since before the recession.
But no state is doing better than Alaska, where well-being is the highest.