In the previous post, EMR referred to International Living’s quality-of-life ranking, in which the U.S. scored only No. 7. Not bad, but not exactly consistent with the mantra of many that “We’re No. 1!”
As it happens, Gallup has just produced a “well-being” ranking for the 50 U.S. states (though using a different methodology). What I find interesting is that most Americans are satisfied with the quality of life that their state offers. There is some variation between states, but that variation falls within a relatively narrow range of 82.3% (North Dakota) and 69.0% (Nevada) in terms of percent satisfied.
Virginia falls within the “high” range of satisfaction and, indeed, is the only state east of the Mississippi River to do so. We are an outlier — most states with high well being are clustered among the northwestern plains and mountain states. The least satisfied, not surprisingly, are characterized by high unemployment and/or high poverty. Yet Gallup notes that the correlation between economic outlook and satisfaction is far from perfect. Remarkably, even as the recession deepened last year, satisfaction levels improved modestly across much of the country.
What factors contribute to satisfaction? Gallup sheds little light. One strength of the U.S., I would suggest, is the high degree of mobility that allows people that don’t like where they live to pick up and move. The nation is sufficiently diverse in terms of climate, terrain and culture that you have to be a real misfit not to find a place you’re comfortable with.
Why does Virginia — the 12th most satisfied state in the nation with the seventh highest quality of life in the world — fare so well? Note that we score only a hair higher than Maryland, so the Mid-Atlantic location may be a contributor. (But please note it’s not proximity to Washington, D.C., which has a significantly lower satisfaction rating. We also score significantly higher than our neighbors to the south, in North Carolina.)
If only Gallup were conversant with the concept of human settlement patterns. It would be most interesting to poll readers by human settlement type — farm, rural, village, small town, large metro area, and various densities and varieties of urbanization. I suspect that human settlement patterns would score high as a variable affecting peoples’ satisfaction with where they live.