Gallup Healthways Well Being Index

Story Highlights

Hawaii edges out Wyoming and Alaska for summit honors
West Virginians report everyman wellbeing for the 10^thursday straight twelvemonth
Hawaii and Colorado merely states in acme 10 every year since 2008

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Hawaii residents reported the highest wellbeing in the U.S. in 2018, reaching the elevation spot for the seventh time since Gallup began tracking wellbeing in 2008. Hawaii and Colorado have ranked amid the summit ten states in wellbeing for the 11^th sequent year, the just ii states to practise and so. West Virginia residents reported the lowest wellbeing for the 10^th straight twelvemonth.

States With Highest and Lowest Overall Wellbeing, 2018

	Highest 10	Well-Being Alphabetize score	Lowest 10	Well-Being Alphabetize score

	Hawaii	64.6	West Virginia	57.0
	Wyoming	64.two	Arkansas	58.7
	Alaska	63.nine	Kentucky	58.eight
	Montana	63.5	Mississippi	58.9
	Utah	63.4	Tennessee	59.5
	Colorado	63.4	Oklahoma	59.eight
	Vermont	63.3	Alabama	59.9
	Delaware	62.ix	Louisiana	60.0
	South Dakota	62.7	Illinois	threescore.three
	North Dakota	62.seven	Indiana	60.3
Gallup National Health and Well-Being Alphabetize

Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Utah -- all states that accept frequented the top 10 list in by years -- rounded out the superlative five in 2018. Arkansas, which was ranked 48^th in 2017 and 2009, was ranked 49^th in 2018 -- its everyman level ever -- and was followed past Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee.

These state-level data are based on more than 115,000 surveys with U.Southward. adults across all 50 states, conducted in all 12 months of 2018. The Well-Being Alphabetize is calculated on a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 represents the lowest possible wellbeing and 100 represents the highest possible wellbeing. The Well-Being Index score for the nation and for each state comprises metrics affecting overall wellbeing and each of the five essential elements of wellbeing:

Career: liking what yous do each day and being motivated to achieve your goals
Social: having supportive relationships and love in your life
Financial: managing your economic life to reduce stress and increase security
Community: liking where yous live, feeling prophylactic and having pride in your community
Physical: having skillful health and plenty free energy to get things done daily

Gallup has been tracking wellbeing nationally since 2008. Career wellbeing was previously named "purpose wellbeing," merely the definition has remained constant.

As in prior years, wellbeing in the U.S. exhibits regional patterns. The Northern Plains and Mountain West are college wellbeing areas, along with some Western states and pockets of the Northeast and Atlantic. The lowest wellbeing states are concentrated in the Due south and extend northward through the industrial Midwest.

Heat Map. Gallup Well-Being Index scores by state, 2018.

Wellbeing Declines Across U.S. for Second Direct Year

Wellbeing in the U.S., overall, connected to decline in 2018, with the national Well-Being Alphabetize score sliding to 61.2 from 61.five in 2017. This extends a deterioration that began in 2017; over the by two years, the Well-Being Index has dropped 0.nine points.

While the declines were not equally acute equally in 2017, 2018 saw a continuation of some of the same narratives that were used to describe 2017's drib, including erosion in social and career wellbeing. Not all elements, nonetheless, suffered from these declines. Concrete wellbeing improved in 2018, while fiscal and community wellbeing were unchanged.

U.S. Well-Being Index and Element Scores, 2014-2018

	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	Change since 2016	Change since 2017

Well-Being Index	61.six	61.7	62.1	61.5	61.2	-0.9*	-0.3*
Physical score	61.0	60.9	61.1	lx.5	61.0	-0.1	+0.5*
Community score	61.two	61.ii	61.9	62.0	61.9	0.0	-0.1
Fiscal score	59.7	sixty.8	61.5	61.1	61.0	-0.5*	-0.1
Social score	61.1	61.one	61.5	59.9	59.7	-1.8*	-0.2*
Career score	60.two	60.5	61.1	59.7	59.five	-1.6*	-0.2*
* Indicates statistically pregnant (p<.05) change
Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index

The less-severe driblet nationally in 2018 was characterized by a much more balanced functioning among states -- nearly as many had statistical improvements (seven) every bit declines (eight) when compared with the 2017 measurement. This was a far different year-over-twelvemonth outcome than the tape-setting change among states in 2017, when 21 states suffered a significant decline in wellbeing against no states that improved.

States that improved in 2018 were Alaska, Delaware, Wyoming, Nevada, Louisiana, Washington and Ohio. States that declined were Florida, Illinois, Alabama, New York, Texas, N Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee.

Hawaii Leads All States in Three Elements

Hawaii topped all states in three elements in 2018, leading the U.S. in career, social and fiscal wellbeing. Hawaii is also the only state to exist among the top-ranked states in all five elements. Delaware and Vermont followed Hawaii in social wellbeing, while Utah and Wyoming rounded out the top three in career wellbeing. Alaska and North Dakota were other top states for fiscal wellbeing.

Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, all from the Mountain West, were the top 3 states in customs wellbeing. Colorado, a perennial top land in physical wellbeing, was edged out only by Alaska and was followed past Wyoming.

Heat maps. Maps detailing the highest- and lowest-scoring states for each of the five aspects of wellbeing.

Implications

The major headwinds in wellbeing nationally that were present in 2017 were less prevalent in 2018, as the U.S. decline compared with the year before was much milder. The associated net alter among states in 2018 reflected this, resulting in a more balanced yr-over-year change. However, the national decline in wellbeing since 2016's high point has widened, revealing a substantial 2-year drop.

Improving and sustaining high wellbeing is vital to any population's overall health and to its economy. Prior research has shown that high wellbeing closely relates to key health outcomes such every bit lower rates of healthcare utilization, workplace absenteeism and workplace performance, reduction in obesity condition, and the new occurrence of chronic diseases. Wellbeing is also a predictor of numerous business outcomes such as employee appointment, customer engagement, turnover and workplace condom, which tin can affect a country'south ability to achieve its economic potential. Contempo inquiry has also shown a strong link globally between wellbeing and migration intent.

The crucial importance of holistic wellbeing, also, is underscored past the 2018 results. Inquiry has shown that having loftier wellbeing across nigh or all elements results in a variety of amend outcomes than for physical wellbeing lone. Hawaii'south reascent to its No. 1 ranking aptly reflects this, as Hawaii is the only state to rank in the superlative five beyond all five essential elements of wellbeing, demonstrating the usefulness of focusing on all of its aspects.

Regardless of national trends, states' efforts to improve wellbeing should be customized to meet the unique needs of local constituencies. By focusing on all v elements of wellbeing, states can maximize the return on their investment when designing and implementing initiatives to improve wellbeing.

Specific interventions include working with schools, employers, grocery stores and restaurants to foster healthier practices. Other initiatives tin can involve working with government and diverse agencies to enact changes that increase opportunities for healthier lifestyles and community life, like more than walkable and wheel-friendly environments, farmers markets and social activities.

Regardless of specific programs or actions, potentially the about important attribute to a successful program is potent, uniform, sustained and visible support from governmental and organizational leadership, which can play a pivotal part in providing the foundation upon which a culture of wellbeing tin exist congenital.

Acquire more most how the Gallup National Health and Well-Beingness Index works.

2018 State Well-Being Index and Element Ranks

	2018 sample size	Well-Being Index	Career	Social	Financial	Community	Concrete

Alabama	i,656	44	18	37	45	17	48
Alaska	212	3	five	8	2	23	1
Arizona	two,347	xv	8	11	26	15	17
Arkansas	i,129	49	49	50	fifty	38	46
California	x,542	14	22	10	27	39	9
Colorado	two,316	6	xi	6	ten	11	ii
Connecticut	i,415	16	38	16	21	41	5
Delaware	386	viii	26	two	four	22	ten
Florida	six,928	20	13	5	36	21	16
Georgia	ii,994	23	17	xv	40	28	21
Hawaii	502	1	1	1	1	4	4
Idaho	762	22	23	38	33	3	32
Illinois	iv,618	42	43	43	35	46	29
Indiana	2,667	41	31	41	30	33	44
Iowa	1,612	26	25	39	15	ten	36
Kansas	one,336	35	28	46	29	27	37
Kentucky	1,672	48	47	47	42	32	49
Louisiana	1,345	43	xx	12	47	48	42
Maine	656	21	21	23	22	12	25
Maryland	2,185	32	32	14	18	47	24
Massachusetts	2,658	17	35	7	19	18	13
Michigan	iv,369	33	34	33	25	31	thirty
Minnesota	2,872	12	12	32	8	8	20
Mississippi	922	47	27	48	49	45	47
Missouri	2,739	40	29	35	34	35	40
Montana	488	4	4	19	17	2	7
Nebraska	1,007	18	10	30	20	xvi	26
Nevada	854	xix	16	17	11	37	31
New Hampshire	606	xi	45	xiii	v	thirteen	8
New Jersey	2,837	31	41	9	28	40	19
New United mexican states	786	30	9	24	38	49	18
New York	vi,038	37	46	29	41	43	22
North Carolina	three,676	36	33	27	39	xx	38
Due north Dakota	340	10	vii	31	3	7	33
Ohio	5,187	38	36	36	31	36	39
Oklahoma	1,386	45	37	42	46	44	43
Oregon	1,833	28	48	25	32	nineteen	15
Pennsylvania	5,617	34	42	26	24	34	35
Rhode Island	442	25	twoscore	44	16	42	12
South Carolina	1,896	39	19	34	37	25	41
South Dakota	402	9	half dozen	21	12	6	27
Tennessee	2,454	46	44	45	44	xxx	45
Texas	7,121	29	15	22	43	26	34
Utah	ane,214	v	2	4	thirteen	nine	14
Vermont	283	seven	14	3	9	v	six
Virginia	3,181	27	xxx	28	23	29	23
Washington	iii,043	thirteen	24	20	seven	24	11
West Virginia	669	fifty	fifty	49	48	l	50
Wisconsin	iii,247	24	39	xl	14	14	28
Wyoming	219	ii	3	eighteen	6	1	three
Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index