Gallup recently came out with the results of its annual wellbeing index, and today takes a closer look at the metropolitan areas that ranked highest on its scale.
The index ranks wellbeing by averaging scores in six categories: Life evaluation, emotional health, work environment, physical health, healthy behaviors, and access to basic necessities.
Lincoln, Nebraska topped this year's list, jumping 20 spots from 2011. And Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which topped last year's wellbeing index, did not make it into the top 10 this year.
#10 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
Overall score: 71.2/100
The metro area jumped 47 spots on this year's index. It scored 7th on emotional health and 4th on healthy behavior, which looks at lifestyle habits such as smoking, exercise frequency, diet, and consumption of fruits and vegetables.
Results are based on phone interviews with a random sample of 353,563 adults in the U.S. Metro areas are based on the Metropolitan Statistical Areas defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.
Source: Gallup Well-Being Index
#9 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC, MD, VA
Overall score: 71.3/100
The area moved up three spots in 2012. It jumped 53 spots to #41 on the work environment index, which measures participants' perception on their work experience including job satisfaction, treatment, and office environment and interactions.
Results are based on phone interviews with a random sample of 353,563 adults in the U.S. Metro areas are based on the Metropolitan Statistical Areas defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.
Source: Gallup Well-Being Index
#8 Ann Arbor, MI
Overall score: 71.4/100
Ann Arbor dropped five spots, from #3 in 2011. For the second year in a row, its residents topped the index for life evaluation, a self-evaluation of one's current personal wellbeing and expected wellbeing in five years.
Results are based on phone interviews with a random sample of 353,563 adults in the U.S. Metro areas are based on the Metropolitan Statistical Areas defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.
Source: Gallup Well-Being Index
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