Happiest States of 2011: The List

Sunny beaches do seem to make for a cheery atmosphere, with Hawaii snagging the top well-being spot again in a yearly poll. CREDIT: © Cjwhitewine | Dreamstime.com View full size image

Preliminary results from the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index reveal which states are happiest in 2011. Hawaii took the top spot, followed by North Dakota and Alaska.

The well-being Index score is an average of six factors, including included life evaluation (self-evaluation about your present life situation and anticipated one in five years); emotional health; work environment (such as job satisfaction); physical health; healthy behavior; and basic access (access to health care, a doctor, a safe place to exercise and walk, as well as community satisfaction). [See last year's results for happiest states]

Read the full story to learn more about the survey and what it means. Also see Top 5 Keys to Happiness.

Here are the 50 U.S. states in order of their well-being scores, which are out of 100 points:

• Hawaii: 71.1
• North Dakota: 70.5
• Alaska: 69.4
• Nebraska: 68.4
• Minnesota: 68.3
• Colorado: 68.3
• Utah: 68.1
• New Hampshire: 67.9
• Iowa: 67.9
• Kansas: 67.8
• Vermont: 67.8
• Maryland: 67.8
• Massachusetts: 67.7
• South Dakota: 67.6
• Virginia: 67.6
• California: 67.5
• Washington: 67.2
• Oregon: 67.2
• Montana: 67.1
• Connecticut: 66.9
• Arizona: 66.9
• New Mexico: 66.8
• Idaho: 66.7
• Wisconsin: 66.6
• Maine: 66.6
• Texas: 66.6
• New Jersey: 66.5
• Wyoming: 66.5
• North Carolina: 66.5
• Rhode Island: 66.2
• Illinois: 66.2
• Georgia: 66.2
• Delaware: 66.0
• Nevada: 65.9
• Pennsylvania: 65.8
• Michigan: 65.8
• South Carolina: 65.7
• Florida: 65.4
• New York: 65.2
• Missouri: 65.1
• Alabama: 65.1
• Indiana: 64.9
• Arkansas: 64.9
• Oklahoma: 64.8
• Tennessee: 64.7
• Louisiana: 64.6
• Ohio: 64.4
• Mississippi: 63.6
• Kentucky: 63.0
• West Virginia: 62.4

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Editor's Note: This story has been updated to include Arizona, which had been left off the list.