• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

Apple’s Steve Wozniak says he cofounded the tech giant after 5 rejections from HP—not to ‘make money.’ For years, his paycheck was just $50

3

Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

Apple’s Steve Wozniak says he cofounded the tech giant after 5 rejections from HP—not to ‘make money.’ For years, his paycheck was just $50

3

Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers
Healthwell being

How’s the Well-Being of Your State? A Record Number Saw Declines Last Year.

By
Hallie Detrick
Hallie Detrick
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Hallie Detrick
Hallie Detrick
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 13, 2018, 8:57 AM ET

The Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index for 2017 paints a bleak picture of the general state of America.

The annual report, released Tuesday, showed that 21 states saw a decline in well-being while zero states saw an improvement—a first in the index’s nearly decade-long history. Although some physical and community well-being measurements improved, they were outweighed by the drop in measurements of purpose, social well-being, and mental health.

Where does your state rank?

The Top Five

  1. South Dakota: South Dakota topped the list this year, up from its No. 3 rank last year. It has ranked in the top six states in the index every year since 2013 and this year got the highest score for the “purpose” element.
  2. Vermont: Vermont tied South Dakota’s rounded score of 64.1 out of 100 possible points. (Vermont is ranked No. 2 because in terms of non-rounded scores South Dakota edged out Vermont by a fraction of a point) Last year, Vermont was ranked No. 6. It was the highest scorer in the physical and community elements.
  3. Hawaii: Hawaii dropped from the top-ranked state for well-being to No. 3 this year. Hawaii has been ranked in the top 10 states for well-being every year since the index started in 2008. The only other state to hold this distinction is Colorado, which was ranked 6th in this report.
  4. Minnesota: Minnesota improved its rank from No. 9 in 2016 to No. 4 in 2017. its highest rank was in financial well-being, where it came in third behind North Dakota and South Dakota.
  5. North Dakota: Rounding out the top five is North Dakota, which was ranked 16th in the 2016 index. It was ranked #1 in the financial element.

The Bottom Five

  1. (46) Oklahoma: Oklahoma saw an improvement in rank from No. 48 to No. 46 between 2016 and 2017, but a decline in overall score. This indicates its rank improvement is more a reflection of poor performance on the part of other states, rather than its own positive performance.
  2. (47) Mississippi: Mississippi declined from a rank of No. 41 in 2016 to No. 47 this year, with an accompanying decline in point value. It was ranked the lowest for financial well-being.
  3. (48)Arkansas: Arkansas declined in the rankings from No. 46 in 2016 to No. 48 this year. It was ranked second-lowest in social and physical well-being.
  4. (49)Louisiana: Louisiana was ranked No. 49 in 2017, down from No. 43 the previous year. This is the state’s lowest rank ever.
  5. (50)West Virginia: West Virginia was the bottom-ranked state for well-being with an overall score of 58.8, maintaining its rank from 2016. It has been among the bottom-ranked states in terms of well-being throughout the history of the index.

Biggest Decline

Maine and Alaska demonstrated the largest declines in the rankings, with Maine falling 20 places from its No. 4 rank in 2016 to its No. 24 rank in 2017. Alaska fell 23 places from No. 2 in 2016 to No. 25 in 2017.

Source: Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index 2017
Hallie Detrick

The full list of states where well-being declined between 2016 and 2017 include:

  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Nevada
  • New Jersey
  • North Carolina
  • Ohio
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • South Carolina
  • Texas
  • Virginia
  • Washington

The remaining states did not see statistically significant changes in well-being:

  • Alabama
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • New Hampshire
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Dakota
  • Oklahoma
  • Rhode Island
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming
  • West Virginia

The report did not offer analysis on why 2017 saw an unprecedented decline in well-being, but it did offer recommendations for employers, state and community leaders, and other stakeholders to help improve well-being, including cultural and infrastructure shifts to foster well-being among communities.

This post has been updated to reflect further details provided to Fortune by Gallup-Sharecare about how South Dakota and Vermont were ranked.

About the Author
By Hallie Detrick
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Health

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Health

Someone leafs through titles stacked in a library
AIResearch
AI hallucinations are infiltrating expert work—and entering the permanent body of knowledge
By Tristan BoveMay 24, 2026
25 minutes ago
d
HealthHospitals
Meet the hospital dogs ‘making a real difference’ by getting sick kids to smile
By Laura Ungar and The Associated PressMay 23, 2026
18 hours ago
Ashley Yetman
Commentarydisruption
Everyone is blaming AI for the death of ‘craft.’ Take a good look in the mirror
By Ashley YetmanMay 23, 2026
22 hours ago
The health benefits of saunas: backed by research and experts 
HealthHealth
The health benefits of saunas: backed by research and experts 
By Katie MooreMay 22, 2026
2 days ago
Kaged Whey Protein Isolate Review (2026): Our Honest Opinions
HealthDietary Supplements
Kaged Whey Protein Isolate Review (2026): Our Honest Opinions
By Emily PharesMay 22, 2026
2 days ago
Gabrielle Judge, a content creator known as “Ms. Anti Work"
SuccessWorkplace Innovation Summit
Founder of Ms. Anti Work says her ‘lazy girl job’ allowed her to only work a few hours a day—and she built her media company on the side
By Emma BurleighMay 22, 2026
2 days ago

Most Popular

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
3 days ago
Apple’s Steve Wozniak says he cofounded the tech giant after 5 rejections from HP—not to ‘make money.’ For years, his paycheck was just $50
Success
Apple’s Steve Wozniak says he cofounded the tech giant after 5 rejections from HP—not to ‘make money.’ For years, his paycheck was just $50
By Preston ForeMay 22, 2026
2 days ago
Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers
Success
Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers
By Emma BurleighMay 22, 2026
2 days ago
Microsoft reports are exposing AI's real cost problem: Using the tech is more expensive than paying human employees
AI
Microsoft reports are exposing AI's real cost problem: Using the tech is more expensive than paying human employees
By Jake AngeloMay 22, 2026
2 days ago
Elon Musk's SpaceX IPO filing just told us what business he's betting on for the future—and it's not rockets
Investing
Elon Musk's SpaceX IPO filing just told us what business he's betting on for the future—and it's not rockets
By Shawn TullyMay 23, 2026
1 day ago
Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics
Future of Work
Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics
By Mike Householder and The Associated PressMay 17, 2026
7 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.