The South, according to the folks at Gallup, is the home of bad health and gloomy thoughts of the future.
The good news? Georgia is the happiest of this unhappy lot.
Gallup’s “Well-Being Index,” which may be a hodge-podge of nonsense, is allegedly “a new national measure of well-being that provides leaders with the information they need to create solutions for making Americans healthier.”
To create a state score, Gallup polls people and asks them how happy they are with their job, physical health, emotional health and other things.
Hawaii comes out on top, which makes sense. A lot of people who live in that tropical paradise are rich.
West Virginia comes in last, which makes sense too. West Virginia is one of the poorest states in America.
Why is Georgia ranked higher than surrounding states? I surmise it is because Georgia has the highest median household income of any Southern state. Or, we are the most delusional.
Money can’t buy happiness, they say, but it seems to buy well-being — whatever that is.


87 comments Add your comment
Southern BornNBred
March 15th, 2011
1:12 pm
“Why is Georgia ranked higher than surrounding states? I surmise it is because Georgia has the highest median household income of any Southern state.”
I’m not sure money is the deciding factor in happiness, although it helps. More important I believe is the people you’re surrounded by. I cannot even imagine having to live in the North where people have such hateful attitudes toward each other; I’d rather live in Libya.
The Original WDE
March 15th, 2011
1:20 pm
Probably helps that there’s tons of different things to do in Georgia. Far more than any other single southern state.
The Original WDE
March 15th, 2011
1:21 pm
Exception being Florida, if you consider anything south of the panhandle “the south”
JohnC
March 15th, 2011
1:47 pm
Hey Southern BNB…”I’d rather live in Libya”?? Really and that’s not a hateful remark? Goes to show how uneducated you really are. I think you would be a great fit in Libya with your rebel flag and all.
Good luck.
Yours Truly,
Northern Born and Bred.
High School Math Teacher
March 15th, 2011
1:49 pm
How did North Dakota get up there? Has anyone here been there? You can drive for MILES and not even see a dog. Maybe they drink a lot of beer.
Karen Alise
March 15th, 2011
1:49 pm
I’m from the north. Massachuetts actually. We’re not hateful. We have universal health care and thats the nicest thing you could ever do.
TRUE SOUTH!
March 15th, 2011
1:50 pm
I’m with Southern BornNBred! I mean, sure the statistics say that Northerners are happier, but those people are just mean and hateful awful people. I hate being up there around such hateful, horrible Yankees. All Yankees do is say awful and rude things about other people. They go right on the internet and just make insults. Hateful!
Not like us Southerners who know how to be polite and respectful of others.
JohnC
March 15th, 2011
1:55 pm
Hey Southerners…”hate” is a strong word. All I see here in this blog is the South hating on the folks up north and I would bet my 6 figure salary that none of you have ever lived in the north. I guess that would make you people “judgemental”. I know…a big word for you…look it up.
Until you have lived it…shut it.
JohnC
March 15th, 2011
1:56 pm
Oh I am sorry…too direct for you “southerners”. Maybe I should sugar coat it then stab you in the back when you are not looking. Sound familiar TRUE SOUTH?
Mary Ann
March 15th, 2011
2:03 pm
No connemt!