Gallup has released it’s Well-Being Index, based upon 176,000 randomly selected adults across the country. Each was asked to rank their happiness on a scale of 1-10, on the following 5 elements:

1. Purpose: enjoying what you do daily and being motivated to achieve your goals.
2. Social: having supportive relationships and love in your life.
3. Financial: managing your economic life to reduce stress and increase security.
4. Community: enjoying where you live, feeling safe and having community pride.
5. Physical: having good health and energy to accomplish things daily.

Top 10 Happiest U.S. Cities:

1. North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida
2. Honolulu, Hawaii
3. Raleigh, North Carolina
4. Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, California
5. El Paso, Texas
6. Austin-Round Rock, Texas
7. Provo-Orem, Utah
8. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California
9. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, Washington, D.C.-Virginia-Maryland-West Virginia
10. Winston-Salem, North Carolina

#1 – Sarasota-Bradenton – I can easily understand, from having lived there in the late 80s.  I used to call Sarasota, “The Little…