General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forumsthe happiest, and most miserable states
http://247wallst.com/special-report/2014/02/20/americas-most-content-and-miserable-states/First, the most miserable
10. Louisiana
9. Oklahoma
8. Misery
7. Tennessee
6. Arkansas
5. Ohio
4. Alabama
3. Mississippi
2. Kentucky
1. West Virginia
Then the happiest
10, Iowa (ironically, I would say I became happier leaving Iowa)
9. Washington
8. Hawaii (okay, this one makes sense)
7. Colorado
6. Vermont (so does this one)
5. Montana
4. Minnesota
3. Nebraska
2. South Dakota (woohoo, my home state!!)
1. North Dakota???
Except for Washington and Hawaii, most of those happy states - are really COLD.
I mean, the overnight low tonight in Fargo is 8 degrees. Compared to 59 for Birmingham, Alabama and 58 for Tupelo, Mississippi and even 48 for Morgantown, WVa. Pierre's (SD) low tonight is 28.
Why the heck wouldn't EVERY southern state be happier than North Dakota?
Not just the cold, but the SNOW too. Pierre gets 27 days of snow, for an average of 31.2 inches. Almost three feet of snow that needs to be shovelled, and that does not even count blowing and drifting. Sioux Falls gets 32 days of snow for an average of 44.5 inches.
When I was growing up, my home town broke the record (not sure if it's a national record or just our local record) for "most consecutive days it did not get above freezing. The old record was 60 days. The new record was 80 (I wanted to go for 100 days). The kicker was that it finally got up to about 33 for one hour on the 80th day. Then a cold front hit and it didn't get above about minus five for the next WEEK.
So I do not understand why even Missouri is not happier than North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and especially Minnesota. To say nothing of Alabama, Louisiana and Mississipp and Oklahoma. OKC is supposed to get to 76 degrees tomorrow, while Fargo is looking at a balmy 31 with a chance of snow.
I mean, come on OKC, get happy.
okaawhatever
(9,453 posts)the state tax revenue and everyone is employed. The value of their homes have gone up, etc. etc. Why do you think people vote for candidates based on the economy? The midwestern states usually have good happiness scores because there isn't a lot of upheaval, family stability and presence of extended family, stable incomes and occupations, healthcare and low crime,
hfojvt
(37,573 posts)but I would think a sensible person would want to get money for mostly one reason - so they could move the hell out of North Dakota.
Although I did just see something else kinda funny
Correlation between happiness and unemployment rate.
Unemployment rate by states Dec. 2013
1. ND - 2.7
2. Ne - 3.6
2. SD - 3.6
4. Utah - 4.0
5. Iowa - 4.2
5. Vermont - 4.2
7. Wyoming - 4.4
8. Hawaii - 4.7
8. Minnesota - 4.7
10. Kansas - 4.9
11. NH - 5.2
11. Va - 5.2
13. La - 5.4
13. Montana - 5.4
13. Ok - 5.4
Many of the happy states are low unemployment states. Although Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Montana all have the same unemployment rate, yet one is happy and two are unhappy (relatively). Part of that might be direction. Oklahoma's unemployment rate was 5.1 last year and rose to 5.4. Montana's was 5.6 and has fallen.
Kansas has a low unemployment rate, BUT a shrinking labor force.
But Missouri has a growing labor force and a falling unemployment rate, which is fairly low.
The five states with the highest unemployment rate, are NOT in the top ten unhappy states (and I really expected Michigan to make that list)
California, Michigan, Illinois, Nevada and Rhode Island.
Skittles
(152,963 posts)it's Missouri, my neighbor to the east.
Which is why they are so unhappy.
They are downwind of all my farts.
herding cats
(19,549 posts)There's a balance in income, health and education that makes life better in the most content states. One of the. Questions they ask is if you can recall laughing or smiling in the past 24 hours. Imagine a life so filled with stress and financial uncertainty that you don't even receive even enough joy to smile once a day?
The opposite was generally true for states with low well-being, where residents were more likely to have unhealthy lifestyles or limited access to basic necessities. As a result, they tended to feel physically and emotionally unhealthy. In those states, residents were among the most likely in the nation to suffer from health problems such as high cholesterol and blood pressure, as well as obesity. Broadly, residents in these states did not feel they were thriving.
Other factors considered by 24/7 Wall St., in addition to data from the Well-Being Index, may also influence a states score. The states with the lowest well-being typically had very low median household incomes. Having a stable income is important because it enables people to access basic needs such as healthy food, clean water, medicine, and health care. However, the opposite was not the case for the highest ranking states, a number of which were not especially well-off.
For the most part, well-being goes up with income, according to Witters. While a low income can definitely impair well-being, as incomes rise, factors such as emotional health tend to level out, Witters explained. For individuals, emotional health scores kind of hit their peak at about $75,000 a year. And after that point, they really dont get any better.
Phentex
(16,330 posts)I'd be outta here (ga) if I could convince my husband to move. My number one source of unhappiness here? The damn warmer weather! In general, i am not an unhappy person. But in about a month, the weather will make me miserable until about October.
I think happiness is more about economic and overall well being rather than weather.
hfojvt
(37,573 posts)or snow.
Especially snow in May.
PasadenaTrudy
(3,998 posts)Can't take the heat. SoCal is in a major drought. We didn't really get a Winter at all. It has been 86 the last couple of days and it is only March. I wish we could move away, too. To where, I do not know....
cali
(114,904 posts)and an equally strong sense of place.
And yes, low unemployment, a higher than average minimum wage, good preventive health services, high number of people with health insurance, highest high school graduation, that it's the state where folks exercise most and eat most produce, healthiest state, are all factors.