Have you ever wondered if you'd be happier if you lived in another state? A new study by researchers at University of Warwick in England has found that individual self-ratings of happiness match up with measures of well-being and they've created a list of the happiest states. The results of the study are based on happiness rankings collected from approximately 1.3 millions American adults between 2005 and 2008 as well as measures of state population, air quality, home prices and other quality of life factors.

"When human beings give you an answer on a numerical scale about how satisfied they are with their lives, it is best to pay attention. Their answers are reliable," researcher Andrew Oswald told Live Science. "This suggests that life-satisfaction survey data might be very useful for governments to use in the design of economic and social policies."

So which states ranked highest for happiness?

1. Louisiana
2. Hawaii
3. Florida
4. Tennessee
5. Arizona
6. Mississippi
7. Montana
8. South Carolina
9. Alabama
10. Maine

Researchers note, however, that the results may not be an accurate reflection of happiness levels in Louisiana, since data was collected prior to Hurricane Katrina. You can see the full list here and learn more about the study in this article from Live Science. The full study appears online in the December 17 edition of Science.

Source:
Bryner, J. (2009, Dec. 17). Happiest states revealed by new research. Live Science

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