Happiness Index: Nebraska Nabs Top Spot

[Crewleader]

The folks in Nebraska are happier than you.

The state that brought you "Kool-Aid” and “CliffsNotes” and the world’s richest person, Warren Buffett (Stock Quote: BRK.A), is feeling better off than the rest of us, according to MainStreet.com’s new Happiness Index.

We all know that money alone can’t buy happiness, but having a job, home and enough money to cover your basic budgetary needs is a good start.

The Cornhusker state was awarded the top ranking because:

* It ranked 2nd overall in lowest number of foreclosures
* It ranked 2nd in lowest unemployment rates
* It ranked 5th in lowest percentage of non-mortgage debt by income

The Happiness Index, which looks at household income, debt, employment and foreclosures, is a fresh take on the old and tired Misery Index, made popular in the 1970s. The Misery Index takes into account unemployment and inflation rates and seeks to identify the most financially miserable places to live.

The Happiness Index, on the other hand, is all about which states are best weathering the current economic storm.





http://www.mainstreet.com/article/moneyinvesting/news/happiness-index-nebraska-nabs-top-spot

[FrenchieCat]

1. Why so many Red State at the top?

They've got the top eight slots except for Iowa and Hawaii!

Louisiana? 5th? :wtf:

[stevedeshazer]

2. My state ranks 51.

Shameful.

[Crewleader]

3. Florida ranks 50

Sad, indeed.

[exboyfil]

4. Less of a boom bust cycle in these states

So far in my state we have not felt the recession much. My employer is still doing well at my location (have had some layoffs at other locations but no where near the scale of some other companies in our industry).

I am very thankful since I have been terminated for economic reasons twice in my career, and I would hate to have it happen a third time. My employer seems to have a better grasp on how to handle these down turns since going through a near death experience in the 1980s. I keep counting the number of potential "early retirees" in my department and wondering if I could survive a staff reduction.

[Danascot]

5. I wouldn't be happy if I was in Nebraska

I spent two weeks there one afternoon.