For the second consecutive year, Massachusetts took the top spot on the Sharecare Community Well-Being Index ranking of best states for overall well-being, while Mississippi ranked at the bottom for the third consecutive year, according to a report published July 14 by digital health company Sharecare in partnership with the Boston University School of Public Health.
The Sharecare Community Well-Being Index has collected 4 million surveys since 2008, and the 2021 rankings are based on nearly 500,000 surveys collected last year.
In total, analysts examined the well-being of Americans in 50 states in 2021 across five well-being domains (purpose, physical, social, community, and financial) and five domains reflecting social determinants of health (healthcare access, resource access, housing and transportation, food access, and economic security).
Purpose was defined as "liking what you do each day and being motivated to achieve your goals," and physical was described as "having good health and enough energy to get things done daily." Definitions used for the other well-being domains:
- Social: "Having supportive relationships and love in your life."
- Community: "Liking where you live and having pride in your community."
- Financial: "Managing your economic life to increase security and reduce stress."
Here are the 10 states with the highest scores for overall well-being, according to the report:
1. Massachusetts
2. Hawaii
3. New Jersey
4. Maryland
5. New York
6. California
7. Colorado
8. Connecticut
9. Washington
10. Utah
Here are the 10 states with the lowest scores for overall well-being, according to the report:
1. Mississippi
2. Arkansas
3. West Virginia
4. Kentucky
5. Alabama
6. New Mexico
7. Louisiana
8. Oklahoma
9. Tennessee
10. Indiana
To view the full report and methodology information, click here.