Americans in Hawaii continue to set the national standard in joy, happiness and well-being in the first half of 2011. West Virginia and Kentucky maintained their status as the states with the lowest well-being, according to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. The Well-Being Index score for the nation compiles things like emotional health, work environment, physical health, healthy behaviors, and access to basic necessities. The midyear Well-Being Index score for the country so far in 2011 is 66.4, a slight decline from 66.8 for all of 2010. The index is calculated on a scale of 0 to 100, where a score of 100 would represent ideal well-being.
| Top 5 States | Well Being Index Score | Bottom 5 States | Well Being Index Score |
| 1. Hawaii | 71.1 | 1. West Virginia | 62.4 |
| 2. North Dakota | 70.5 | 2. Kentucky | 63.0 |
| 3. Alaska | 69.4 | 3. Mississippi | 63.6 |
| 4. Nebraska | 68.4 | 4. Ohio | 64.4 |
| 5. Minnesota | 68.3 | 5. Louisiana | 64.6 |
See the full report at www.gallup.com.
