I like it when people that read my blog send me things. I was alerted to this study by one of my current clients and thought I would share it with you.
What study you ask? Well the folks at Gallup-Healthways created a Well-Being Index. They interviewed a bazillion, okay not really a bazillion but 350,000+ Americans, during 2009. You would think interviewing that many people would end the recession right there. Talk about some serious work to get that done! Anyway… back on track…In the survey they asked them about their jobs, finances, physical health, emotional state and communities.
Now you’d think with our high unemployment rate here in Oregon that we would bomb this survey on well-being. I fully expected us to be at the bottom of the pack…but I was surprised. Salem, OR (this is the whole metro area by the way), was ranked 48. 162 metros were part of the survey. Pretty cool. Apparently people are feeling content living here. Boulder, CO was #1 and the Huntington-Ashland metro was ranked the last in this survey. As a state, Oregon ranked 36th, which isn’t a huge surprise with our large unemployment numbers. It’s hard to have positive emotional health when you are worried about losing your job.
I recently was talking with someone about their relocation to Salem Oregon. “It’s a slow city” was what I said trying to explain Salem. I think there is something to be said for not being in the rat race of larger cities on a daily basis. So maybe slower equals a bit more content? It is an interesting study so head over and check it out.
I know you really want to know what state ranked #1 for well-being…Hawaii snagged that honor.