[hotair2]

Originally Posted by Highpointer

I read another article with a completely different set of findings. According to a survey of 1.3 million people across the country by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the top three states were Louisiana, Hawaii, and Florida. In this list, Arkansas ranked 18th, Mississippi was 7th, Kentucky was 35th and West Virginia was 34th.

Here is the CDC's state-by-state list, from happiest to least cheery (note: Washington, D.C. is ranked 37th in this listing, but I have removed it from this list in order to maintain a consistent comparison with the other list):

1. Louisiana
2. Hawaii
3. Florida
4. Tennessee
5. Arizona
6. South Carolina
7. Mississippi
8. Montana
9. Alabama
10. Maine
11. Wyoming
12. Alaska
13. North Carolina
14. South Dakota
15. Texas
16. Idaho
17. Vermont
18. Arkansas
19. Georgia
20. Utah
21. Oklahoma
22. Delaware
23. Colorado
24. New Mexico
25. North Dakota
26. Minnesota
27. Virginia
28. New Hampshire
29. Wisconsin
30. Oregon
31. Iowa
32. Kansas
33. Nebraska
34. West Virginia
35. Kentucky
36. Washington
37. Missouri
38. Nevada
39. Maryland
40. Pennsylvania
41. Rhode Island
42. Ohio
43. Massachusetts
44. Illinois
45. California
46. New Jersey
47. Indiana
48. Michigan
49. Connecticut
50. New York

This list is completely different from this list, the Happiest States: 2010 List from LiveScience:

1. Hawaii: 71.0
2. Wyoming: 69.2
3. North Dakota: 68.4
4. Alaska: 68.3
5. Colorado: 68.0
6. Minnesota: 68.0
7. South Dakota: 68.0
8. Utah: 67.9
9. Connecticut: 67.9
10. Massachusetts: 67.8
11. Nebraska: 67.8
12. Maryland: 67.5
13. Washington: 67.5
14. Montana: 67.3
15. Kansas: 67.2
16. New Hampshire: 67.2
17. Vermont: 67.1
18. California: 67.0
19. Iowa: 66.9
20. Idaho: 66.9
21. New Mexico: 66.7
22. Virginia: 66.7
23. Wisconsin: 66.7
24. New Jersey: 66.6
25. Maine: 66.4
26. Illinois: 66.3
27. Oregon: 66.3
28. Texas: 66.3
29. Arizona: 66.2
30. Pennsylvania: 66.1
31. Georgia: 66.1
32. New York: 65.9
33. Rhode Island: 65.7
34. Missouri: 65.6
35. South Carolina: 65.3
36. North Carolina: 65.1
37. Florida: 65.1
38. Oklahoma: 64.9
39. Indiana: 64.8
40. Tennessee: 64.8
41. Michigan: 64.6
42. Louisiana: 64.3
43. Delaware: 64.2
44. Nevada: 64.2
45. Ohio: 63.8
46. Alabama: 63.7
47. Arkansas: 63.7
48. Mississippi: 63.0
49. Kentucky: 61.9
50. West Virginia: 61.7

According to the LiveScience methodology, a typical person living in Connecticut would be reasonably happy, as CT ranks 9th in happiness. However, according to the CDC methodology, that same person would likely be unhappy, as CT ranks 49th on that list.

In contrast, LiveScience would determine that a typical person living in Mississippi would be unhappy, as MS ranks 48th on their list. However, according to the CDC that same person would be a lot happier, as MS ranks 7th on the CDC list.

How could two states, MS and CT, rank in the bottom three of differing lists, yet each of those two states are ranked in the top ten of the opposing lists?

I read your cite. It does not list the methodology for the list. I would have to say that I agree more with the first list than yours. You are going to get different numbers based on which factors are taken into consideration.

[RogMar]

Originally Posted by Luvvarkansas

Oh, that was Dave....you'll have to blame that on Texas!

Heh...

We Germans have a word for that.

Schadenfreude.

Schadenfreude - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by txdave35

Can't say I'm too surprised to see AR near the bottom of the list from this survey conducted last year. Full results here:

Happiest States: 2010 List | Happiness & Gallup Well-Being Index | Happiness Factors | LiveScience


No surpise, Hawaii is #1. And the only states worse than AR are MS, KY, and WV.

the only reason AR is so low on the list is they let you take the survey 1,000 times I think.

Nita

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by thewizard16

If you pull up the map and look at people that claim to be happy and happy with their community, Arkansas actually does quite well. Most areas do, really. What's sinking it on this list are primarily health issues (diabetes and obesity are prevalent in AR, people eat poorly, don't exercise enough, etc.), and I'm sure some economic factors (large low-income population) come into play with stress, food, housing, and workplace happiness.

of course, most people who live here are happy as you know. When Hawaii comes in number 1 you have to think about who actually took part in the survey. It might be a happy place but who could afford to live there?

NIta

[hotair2]

Originally Posted by nmnita

of course, most people who live here are happy as you know. When Hawaii comes in number 1 you have to think about who actually took part in the survey. It might be a happy place but who could afford to live there?

NIta

I think you may have hit the nail on the head. If you could afford to live in Hawaii you would have good money. I think having money gives you a better sense of security, which makes you happier, which would explain why Arkansas is in the lower part of the survey. The other states in the lower five are comparable to Arkansas in terms of average income, which are all relatively low.

I also like the sun. It rains a little too much for me in Arkansas. Hawaii and Colorado have a lot of Sun Days.

[Dutchman01]

I dunno. I love this state and having traveled a bit I can't say I really like many of the states that do so well on the survey. As someone has already indicated it's all pretty much "subjective."

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by hotair2

I think you may have hit the nail on the head. If you could afford to live in Hawaii you would have good money. I think having money gives you a better sense of security, which makes you happier, which would explain why Arkansas is in the lower part of the survey. The other states in the lower five are comparable to Arkansas in terms of average income, which are all relatively low.

I also like the sun. It rains a little too much for me in Arkansas. Hawaii and Colorado have a lot of Sun Days.

yep, as everyone knows, I really love living in AR, but I am not a huge fan of the weather overall. After living in NM for 7 years where the sun shines even when it snows (not quite) I do get tired of our overcast skies here.

Nita

[greenacresusa]

Hey that's ok, let them list Arkansas way down on the list. We've loved everywhere we've been in Arkansas and that's one of many reasons we have retirement land there!!! Can't say one way or another on the survey but we know we'll be very happy in Arkansas!!!! And maybe this will keep the terminally unhappy people (like the orginal poster) away from the wonderful state of Arkansas!!!

[NOEM1226]

The results for this "happiest" states study closely match those of the "healthiest" states studies that have previously been done. Coiencidence- I think not.

[Leigh0416]

For such an "unhappy" state, I sure do see more people smiling here than other places I've been. I thought happiness was a state of mind anyway...