The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index has been polling citizens from around the country since 2008 to gauge their level of overall health and well-being. Nearly 200,000 interviews with adults across the 50 states throughout the year go into the calculation of which states fare best, and which ones are falling behind.
The index is based on a number of measures including: having a sense of purpose, supportive relationships and love in your life, a sense of economic security, enjoying your home and taking pride in your community, and maintaining good health.
The ratings are on a scale from 0 to 100, with 0 being the lowest possible sense of well-being and 100 being the highest. In 2015 the average Well-Being Index score for the U.S. was 61.7, virtually unchanged from the score of 61.6 in 2014.
The survey identified a few positive national well-being trends, including an overall increase in financial well-being, a decrease in the number of people without insurance, a decline in smoking rates, an increase in exercise, and a decline in food and healthcare insecurity. Overall, Americans evaluated their lives at its highest level since polling began.
There are also some negative national trends, however. Obesity rates in the U.S. continue to climb and many individuals are still having a difficult time seeking full-time employment.
Click through to see the best and worst states for health and well-being — and find out where your state ranks.Hawaii reclaims #1
Residents of the tropical island had the highest overall well-being of any state in the nation. This is the fifth year that Hawaii has been in the top five since polling began in 2008.Alaska moves to #2
Alaska, which held the top spot in 2014, moved down one space to number two. The state ranks first in terms of residents’ financial well-being.Montana ranks #3
Montana, which has been in the top 10 since 2012, leads in terms of community well-being.Colorado claims #4
Colorado has ranked in the top ten for overall well-being every year since 2008.Wyoming takes #5
Wyoming moved down one spot since 2014 and has an overall well-being index score of 63.5. Its residents score especially high for their sense of purpose and community.Louisiana Ranked #42
