Wyo third-happiest state

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

By Business Report Staff

A recent study concludes that Wyoming has the third happiest residents in the nation, after Utah and Hawaii.

The study was done by analyzing data from more than 350,000 individuals who were interviewed during 2008 as part of the Gallup Organization's Well-Being Index.

The index included six type of well-being: overall evaluation of their lives, emotional health, physical health, healthy behaviors (such as whether a person smokes or exercises) and job satisfaction.

Utah residents were the happiest, with an index of 69.2, followed by Hawaii at 68.2 and Wyoming at 68. Colorado and Minnesota were tied for next place with a score of 67.3, followed by Maryland and Washington with scores of 67.1, and Massachusetts and California with scores of 67. Arizona wrapped up the top 10 at 66.8.

The study found that states with higher gross regional product (GRP) per capita (a state's level of productivity and standard of living), income levels and median housing value, were significantly happier than poorer areas.

That's not too surprising, Jason Rentfrow, a fellow at Fitzwilliam College at the University of Cambridge in England, and one of the study’s authors, noted, as wealthier individuals tend to be healthier, because they are more knowledgeable about healthy behaviors, and they also likely have health insurance.

However, not all states fit into the researcher's overall model of what makes for a happy area. For instance, the top three states, Utah, Hawaii and Wyoming aren't considered the wealthiest of the pack, perhaps proving that money can't buy happiness.

Of the personality factors, neuroticism took a toll, suggesting that happy state residents are more relaxed than their gloomy counterparts. For instance, West Virginia, Mississippi and Kentucky were ranked as highly neurotic and showed lower well-being scores. Utah, on the other hand, had a significantly lower level of neuroticism than other states.

Ed Diener, a psychologist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who studies well-being pointed out that Utah is conservative, and research has suggested such right-leaning individuals are a bit happier than others.

Hawaii's ranking could be due to a relaxed culture, he said, adding that the three states may just have strong families and social relationships.

"If I were a state government person, I could use the information, if my state scored high, to attract new talent," Diener said. "After all, people will want to go to happy places and be around happy people."

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