Both Baton Rouge metro area and Louisiana saw their respective rankings rise in the latest edition of the State of American Well-Being report from Gallup and Healthways, which measures how people feel about their daily lives based on 2.1 million surveys.
While Louisiana’s ranking inched up one spot to No. 40 among all states—marking the first time since the 2011 report that the state is not among the 10 lowest-ranked states—Baton Rouge climbed nine spots to No. 54 among all U.S. cities.
The 2014 version of the Gallup-Healthways index was released this morning. Once again this year, the index measures well-being across five elements: Purpose (liking what you do each day and being motivated to achieve goals); Social (having supportive relationships); Financial (ability to manage finances to reduce stress and increase security); Community (liking where you live and feeling safe); and Physical (having good health).
Baton Rouge got its best ranking this year in the Purpose category, at No. 2, only behind El Paso, Texas. Baton Rouge is ranked No. 19 in the Social category; No. 33 in Financial; No. 53 in Community; and No. 87 in Physical.
The city has now seen its ranking rise 13 spots from a No. 67 ranking in the 2012 report, and is up from a No. 63 ranking in the 2013 report. New Orleans is ranked No. 76 in this year’s report, up from a No. 120 ranking last year.
Louisiana, meanwhile, also received its highest ranking in the Purpose category, at No. 9. It’s ranked No. 31 in the Social category; No. 48 in Financial; No. 34 in Community; and No. 43 in Physical.
This year’s ranking is Louisiana’s best since the 2011 report, in which it was ranked No. 36. The state was ranked No. 43 in the 2012 report, No. 42 in 2010, No. 41 in 2009 and No. 42 in 2008, the inaugural year of the report.
See the complete report on all states, as well as the well-being report for all U.S. metro areas.
—Steve Sanoski
