U.S. States Ranked by Well-Being: Did Your Home Top the List?

Job satisfaction and physical health factored

The United States have been ranked by well-being again, and for the fifth year in the row, Hawaii has topped the list. Factors measured included physical health, outlook on life, and job satisfaction. Other states that have consistently ranked in the top 10 are Utah, Minnesota, Colorado and Montana; they tend to have lower rates of smoking, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, and also report enjoying their jobs and exercising more often. Those that have consistently ranked in the bottom 10 are Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Arkansas and Mississippi. Experts say there are steps people can take to improve their sense of well-being. "We tend to think we won't be happier until big things in our lives change, but research contradicts that. Surprisingly, the fastest way to increase your level of happiness is to spend time with a friend, offer service to someone else, take a walk or simply sit and ponder five things you're grateful for. All of these create an immediate shift in your mental state," says Joseph Grenny, author of Change Anything: The New Science of Personal Success. (USA Today)

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