Nearly half of U.S. states saw their well-being scores
decline by a statistically significant margin in 2017, according to the
Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index. And, for the first time in nine years of tracking
changes in state well-being, no state saw statistically significant improvement
from the year before.
The Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index score for the nation
and for each state is based on metrics that make up five essential elements of
well-being:
1. Purpose: liking what you do each day 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: liking where you live, feeling safe and having
pride in your community
5. Physical: having good health and enough energy to get things
done daily
For the nation as a whole, the Well-Being Index score for the U.S. in 2017 was 61.5, a decline from 62.1 in 2016 and the largest year-over-year decline since the index began in 2008.
