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The University of Hawaiʻi is happy to be located in the happiest state in the country. Hawaiʻi ranks number one in the U.S. for well-being, according to a 2018 Gallup poll. This is the record seventh year Hawaiʻi has held the top spot and the 11th consecutive year the state has been in the top 10.

“I totally agree with that,” said Kayla Hackett, a UH Mānoa junior studying economics. “I feel like wherever I walk on campus or downtown everyone is friendly, and it’s easy to talk to people. Everyone seems really open with each other, and it’s nice just to see smiles around.”

The Gallup poll used five metrics to determine overall wellbeing: career, social, financial, community and physical. Hawaiʻi leads all states in career, social and financial wellbeing and was the only state to be among the top five states in all metrics.

“I’m not surprised,” said Thackeray Taylor, a UH Mānoa junior in studio arts. “It makes sense because people have the ocean out here and with enough sunny days that’s everything.”

The Gallup poll surveyed more than 115,000 adults in all 50 states throughout 2018 to determine each state’s score.

The other states in the top 10 are Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Utah, Colorado, Vermont, Delaware, South Dakota and North Dakota.

Read more about the Gallup wellbeing survey.

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