Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

News

In "Well-Being" Study, New York Ranks Dead Middle


By

Jaya Saxena

Published Feb 16, 2010

Modified Feb 16, 2010


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .


By

Jaya Saxena

Published Feb 16, 2010

Modified Feb 16, 2010


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

In a new Gallup poll that rates states in terms of population well-being, New York lands pretty much dead center. But that's a 0.3 "point" raise from last year, so nice work everybody. New York got a 65 on the "Well-Being Index Score," which calculates evaluations of citizen's lives from across the country. Factors include emotional and physical health, work environment, and access to basic things like food and water.

New York is also up 7.1 points from 2008 on our "Life Evaluation Index," which is a "self-evaluation of two items, present life situation and anticipated life situation five years from now." Apparently, we're very optimistic about our future. We scored high on Basic Access (82.8) but pretty low on Work Environment (44.2). Hawaii, of course, took the prize for highest well-being, beating out last year's winner, Utah, though they still win for best Work Environment.

West Virginia came in last place, with the lowest Life Evaluation, Emotional Health and Physical Health scores. And Louisiana only comes in 10th place, but that doesn't factor in all the free beads they're going to get today!

Tagged

gallup

gallup poll

new york

poll

states

well-being


Jaya Saxena

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE news

Central Park birders, others remember 63-year-old woman killed in park

People who said they knew her described her as an artist and a familiar presence in the Ramble.

By

Charles Lane

Published Sep 28, 2026 at 7:04 p.m. ET


Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says

It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.

By

Liam Quigley

News

Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says

It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.

By

Liam Quigley


New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ

By

Arya Sundaram

A Brooklyn jail cell filled with smoke. The emergency button failed, a lawyer said.

By

Samantha Max

Crews launch tunnel machines to dig first new Hudson River rail tunnels since 1910

By

Michael Sol Warren


Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .