Happiness and overall well-being are improving in the United States. According to a recent report from Sharecare, an Atlanta based digital health company, several key factors that impact quality of life improved in the United States in 2021 compared to the previous year.
The report, Sharecare’s Community Well-Being Index, uses the results of thousands of surveys and key socioeconomic data to measure elements of overall well-being. These include financial security, physical health, social connections, and a sense of purpose – as well as access to health care, healthy food, transportation, and economic opportunity.
Based on these and other measures, the overall well-being score in the United States inched up from 60.5 out of 100 in 2020, to 60.9 out of 100 in 2021. While the overall trend is encouraging, well-being scores vary considerably across the country.
Using data compiled by Sharecare, 24/7 Tempo identified the happiest states in America. States are ranked by their well-being index score, from worst to best. These scores range from less than 50 out of 100 in some states, to over 70 in others.
The states with the lowest reported levels of well-being are almost exclusively located in the South, while the happiest states are concentrated in the West and the Northeast.
While the survey results that these rankings are partially subjective, these well-being rankings are strongly correlated with demonstrable outcomes. For example, rates of depression are 1.4 times higher in the 10 bottom-ranked states than they are in the top ranked states. Residents of low ranked states are also more likely to suffer from diabetes or a heart attack than those in the highest ranked states. (Here is a look at the healthiest county in every state.)
Additionally, incomes tend to be higher than average in the highest ranking states, while the lowest ranking states tend to have low median incomes and high levels of poverty. Here is a look at the poorest city in every state.
50. Mississippi
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 45.0
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Purpose: 2nd worst
> Top-performing social determinants category: Healthcare access: 8th worst
49. Arkansas
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 47.7
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Community: 3rd worst
> Top-performing social determinants category: Resource access: 19th worst
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48. West Virginia
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 48.7
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Tied — social, financial: 15th worst
> Top-performing social determinants category: Tied — resource access: 23rd worst
47. Kentucky
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 49.5
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Tied — purpose, social, financial, community: 4th worst
> Top-performing social determinants category: Tied — healthcare access: 18th worst
46. Alabama
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 50.1
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Social: 8th worst
> Top-performing social determinants category: Healthcare access: 16th worst
45. New Mexico
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 51.9
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Purpose: 14th worst
> Top-performing social determinants category: Resource access: 17th best
44. Louisiana
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 52.1
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Physical: 4th worst
> Top-performing social determinants category: Healthcare access: 9th best
43. Oklahoma
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 52.2
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Social: 14th worst
> Top-performing social determinants category: Resource access: 25th best
42. Tennessee
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 53.3
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Tied — social community: 10th worst
> Top-performing social determinants category: Tied — healthcare access: 19th best
41. Indiana
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 53.6
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Physical: 15th worst
> Top-performing social determinants category: Resource access: 18th best
40. South Carolina
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 53.8
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Purpose: 21st worst
> Top-performing social determinants category: Resource access: 13th best
39. Michigan
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 55.3
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Financial: 21st worst
> Top-performing social determinants category: Healthcare access: 23rd best
38. North Carolina
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 55.5
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Social: 22nd worst
> Top-performing social determinants category: Healthcare access: 22nd best
37. Maine
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 55.6
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Community: 21st best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Resource access: 9th best
36. Missouri
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 55.7
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Physical: 14th worst
> Top-performing social determinants category: Tied — economic security, resource access: 19th best
35. Georgia
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 56.1
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Social: 24th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Healthcare access: 24th best
34. Idaho
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 56.2
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Community: 24th worst
> Top-performing social determinants category: Economic security: 16th best
33. South Dakota
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 56.2
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Community: 15th worst
> Top-performing social determinants category: Resource access: the best
32. Ohio
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 56.4
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Financial: 25th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Healthcare access: 14th best
31. Montana
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 56.6
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Community: 20th worst
> Top-performing social determinants category: Resource access: 4th best
30. Iowa
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 56.8
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Financial: 19th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Resource access: 6th best
29. Wyoming
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 57.6
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Community: 14th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Resource access: 7th best
28. Alaska
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 57.7
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Physical: 25th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Resource access: 10th best
27. Texas
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 57.9
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Social: 21st best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Tied — food access, economic security: 17th best
26. Kansas
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 58.1
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Purpose: 24th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Economic security: 7th best
25. Arizona
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 58.8
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Purpose: 12th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Food access: 14th best
24. Wisconsin
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 58.9
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Community: 11th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Economic security: 10th best
23. Vermont
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 59.2
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Community: 23rd worst
> Top-performing social determinants category: Resource access: 2nd best
22. Delaware
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 60.0
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Tied — purpose, social, financial, community: 13th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Tied — healthcare access: 15th best
21. New Hampshire
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 60.1
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Community: 3rd best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Economic security: 4th best
20. Florida
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 60.1
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Purpose: 14th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Food access: 11th best
19. Nebraska
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 60.3
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Community: 24th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Economic security: 3rd best
18. Pennsylvania
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 60.3
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Financial: 17th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Healthcare access: 13th best
17. Nevada
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 60.5
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Physical: 18th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Food access: 3rd best
16. North Dakota
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 60.9
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Purpose: 11th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Economic security: the best
15. Minnesota
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 62.4
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Tied — social, financial, community: 6th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Tied — economic security: 5th best
14. Oregon
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 63.4
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Community: 16th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Tied — food access, housing & transportation: 9th best
13. Illinois
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 63.5
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Physical: 13th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Food access: 6th best
12. Virginia
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 63.8
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Tied — social, financial: 10th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Tied — economic security: 9th best
11. Rhode Island
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 63.9
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Physical: 19th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Healthcare access: the best
10. Utah
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 64.2
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Social: 7th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Economic security: 2nd best
9. Washington
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 65.7
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Tied — financial, physical: 8th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Tied — housing & transportation: 6th best
8. Connecticut
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 65.8
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Tied — purpose, social: 8th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Tied — healthcare access: 3rd best
7. Colorado
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 66.0
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Tied — purpose, physical: 6th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Tied — housing & transportation: 8th best
6. California
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 68.8
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Physical: 3rd best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Food access: the best
5. New York
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 69.2
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Tied — financial, physical: 15th best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Tied — food access: 2nd best
4. Maryland
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 69.3
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Social: 3rd best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Healthcare access: 6th best
3. New Jersey
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 70.1
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Tied — purpose, social, financial, community, physical: 2nd best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Tied — food access: 4th best
2. Hawaii
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 70.5
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Tied — purpose, social, financial, community, physical: the best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Tied — housing & transportation: the best
1. Massachusetts
> Community Well-Being Index Score (out of 100): 71.1
> Top-performing well-being survey category: Tied — purpose, financial: 3rd best
> Top-performing social determinants category: Tied — healthcare access, housing & transportation: 2nd best
Methodology
Based on the recently-released Sharecare Community Well-Being Index, 24/7 Wall St. ranked all 50 states ranked from worst-scoring to best-scoring. Zero is the lowest possible index score and 100 is the highest.
The Community Well-Being Index is divided into two sections. The first, the Sharecare Well-Being Index, is based on more than 500,000 surveys collected in 2021, and includes five categories: physical, social, community, purpose, and financial.
The second, the Sharecare Social Determinants of Health Index, is based on over 600 different social determinants of health, from a variety of established data sources, including the Dept. of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The five social determinants categories are health care access, food access, economic security, housing & transportation, and resource access.
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