AMERICA’S 5 BEST AND WORST STATESMeasuring well-being in modern society.

Methodology Data primarily comes from the annual Gallup-

Healthways survey of well-being. States are ranked from 1 through 50. The survey used these five measures for well-being:

Purpose: Enjoying your work and feeling a drive to reach goals.

Social: Having meaningful and supportive relationships. Financial: Having enough money to be secure and

relatively stress-free. Community: Liking and feeling connected to where you

live. Physical: Being in good health.

The 5 Worst States for Well-Being

Mississippi

Purpose: 22nd

Social: 42nd

Financial: 50th

Community: 41st

Physical: 44th

Mississippi has a current unemployment rate of 6.7%, putting it near the bottom in the country.

The state relies heavily upon agriculture for economic development.

Mississippi’s largest employers include Wal-Mart and the University of Mississippi Medical Center

Overall5th

Worst

Ohio

Purpose: 47th

Social: 47th

Financial: 36th

Community: 49th

Physical: 40th

Ohio’s financial standing was middle-of-the-pack, with real weakness coming from a lack of community and social connections.

The largest employers in the state were Wal-Mart and the Cleveland Clinic Health System.

Overall4th

Worst

Indiana

Purpose: 44th

Social: 46th

Financial: 30th

Community: 42nd

Physical: 45th

Like Ohio, Indiana is middle-of-the-road financially. It’s possible that low scores for social and communal ties come shrinking small farming towns.

Indiana’s largest employers include the Indiana University Medical Center and the Indiana University system in general.

Overall3rd

Worst

Kentucky

Purpose: 48th

Social: 49th

Financial: 46th

Community: 26th

Physical: 49th

Though Kentucky’s financial scores are low, its unemployment rate (5.1%) is actually slightly lower than the national average (5.3%).

The state’s median household income of just over $42,000, however, is among the lowest in the country.

Kentucky’s largest employers include Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital in Ashland and Wal-Mart.

Overall2nd

Worst

West Virginia

Purpose: 50th

Social: 48th

Financial: 43rd

Community: 38th

Physical: 50th

A state that’s traditionally counted on the mining industry, West Virginia has the worst unemployment rate in the country: 7.2%.

The median household income is also among the lowest in the country.

West Virginia’s largest employers include West Virginia University Medical Center and Wal-Mart.

Overall: The Worst

The 5 Best States for Well-Being

Photo: Brian Stansberry, via Wikimedia Commons

Montana

Purpose: 10th

Social: 33rd

Financial: 8th

Community: 2nd

Physical: 9th

While social interactions may be sparse, the state is in good shape. Unemployment hovers at just 3.9%, and the state has relatively low inequality.

Montana’s primary industries are agriculture and mining, though travel and tourism are important as well.

The state’s largest employers include The Billings Clinic and Wal-Mart.

Overall5th

Best

Wyoming

Purpose: 11th

Social: 2nd

Financial: 4th

Community: 4th

Physical: 12th

The country’s least-populous state has very healthy scores in the survey. Wyoming also has the third-lowest levels of inequality in the USA as measured by the Gini Coefficient.

Mining is the predominant industry in the state.

The largest employers in the state are the FE Warren Air Force Base and Wal-Mart.

Overall4th

Best

South Dakota

Purpose: 4th

Social: 1st

Financial: 5th

Community: 1st

Physical: 11th

Apparently, South Dakota is tops for friendship and community.

It’s also a pretty good place to live financially: unemployment sits at a low 3.8%.

South Dakota’s largest employers include IBP Hog Market and Avera Health.

Overall3rd

Best

Hawai’i

Purpose: 5th

Social: 28th

Financial: 1st

Community: 5th

Physical: 1st

Hawai’i residents reported that they were the healthiest in the country: financially and physically!

Unemployment sits at just 4.1% and tourism serves as the major industry.

The state’s largest employers include Altres Medical and the University of Hawai’i.

Overall2nd

Best

Alaska

Purpose: 1st

Social: 7th

Financial: 2nd

Community: 3rd

Physical: 2nd

Alaska was the only state to rank in the top ten of every category. It also has the second-lowest level of inequality in the country, as measured by the Gini Coefficient.

Oil and gas exploration is the state’s biggest industry.

Alaska’s largest employers include the Anchorage International Airport and Providence Health.

Overall: The Best

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