Gallup: AA happiest city, Ohio 1 of 3 most miserable states
According to a Gallup poll, residents of Ann Arbor, Michigan were the happiest in all US cities. They “ rated their current and future lives the best, for the second year in a row.” (Ann Arbor was one of the top six cities in overall well-being scores.)
By contrast, Ohio was one of the 3 most miserable states. “Residents generally had low evaluations of their lives, trailing only West Virginia and Kentucky by that measure.” They had among the fewest state residents who stated that day they were thriving or had a learning experience. “They were among the most likely in the U.S. to have felt angry.” Ohio was in the bottom ten percent of states in overall well-being scores.
ADDITION: If the Gallup poll were not enough, also remember that—this year alone-- AA has been rated "The Most Intelligent College Town" and the #2 most educated city as well as the #3 Best Midsize City to Raise Children", #7 Best City for New College Grads and one of the "Top 25 Most Beautiful Cities in America".
September 16th, 2014 at 11:11 AM ^
I wouldn't have believed it on gamedays.
September 16th, 2014 at 11:18 AM ^
We aren't all lucky enough to live in Ann Arbor.
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September 16th, 2014 at 11:28 AM ^
they're happy one out of 7 days per week? I like the odds from our perspective better.
September 16th, 2014 at 2:32 PM ^
the games last 3 out of 112 waking hours a week and only 12/52 weeks a year. 36/5824=0.6% of their miserable Ohio lives. Unfortunately, this year they’ve already lost ½ home games and 1/3 overall. Any possible happiness from wins will be far outweighed by the unhappiness after a loss—such as their home loss this year to a currently unranked team, which itself just lost at home to the East Carolina Pirates. And the reality is that Ohio has winning "records" only 2 of the last 4 years
(A note to miserable Ohio fans who may delude themselves in thinking that they recorded any wins in 2010, which the NCAA vacated because--remember, dear Carmen--you cheated).
September 16th, 2014 at 11:12 AM ^
I'd be angry too, if I lived in Ohio. Corn, flat and boring, rust belt abandoned factories, depressing. I guess the anger is a good thing for the football team, but yeah.
September 16th, 2014 at 11:27 AM ^
That's only about 70% of the state. Southwest Ohio, including Cincinnati, is really hilly, there's water (the river is gross, but still), and there's even some culture.
I'd be interested to see the results broken down by region. Because it's true that from Dayton north is some of the most depressing land in the country.
September 16th, 2014 at 11:41 AM ^
I've got a strong suspicion that broken down by region the really poor results are from the southeast, the least "flat and boring" part of the state. Kentucky and West Virginia were the bottom two states; Huntington/Ashland and Charleston among the worst cities. SE Ohio is just an extension of KY/WVa.
Corn's not so bad. Flat's not so bad. Not having a job, or a doctor, or a decent public library...that stuff sucks.
September 16th, 2014 at 12:29 PM ^
I live in SE Ohio and we have an awesome public library and brand new schools. There is also plenty of work if you are willing to work and have half a brain. I think the lack of resource excuse is way over used by the locals and people who want to make excuses for them.
September 16th, 2014 at 9:38 PM ^
Maybe that's the problem, O.S.U. fans have less than half a brain.
September 16th, 2014 at 12:37 PM ^
I joke about Ohio, but the honest truth is, there's beauty everywhere, including Ohio. I'd love to spend time on the Islands in Lake Erie. And the hills and valleys and Appalachian areas down south are gorgeous. I enjoyed time in Amish country about an hour or so south of Cleveland last summer. I actually love staying with my sister-in-law in Cleveland, who lives about 50 feet from Lake Erie, and can watch the sunset almost every evening in the summer. Cleveland, while with significant struggles, has a very different feel to me than the Chicago area, where I live.
September 16th, 2014 at 11:28 AM ^
Hey, I live in SE Ohio and it is not flat or boring if you like the outdoors. But everything else, yeah pretty much.
September 16th, 2014 at 11:43 AM ^
Meth is a powerful drug.
September 16th, 2014 at 12:32 PM ^
I'm high on life (and motorcycling)!
Edit: They grow some pretty good pot around here too, and it doesn't make your teeth fall out.
September 16th, 2014 at 1:30 PM ^
I'll have to swing thru your parts on my way up north next time. A little bud makes the rest of Ohio tolerable. I'm guessing.
September 16th, 2014 at 8:37 PM ^
I have to imagine it does. I've enjoyed some pretty worthless shit while stoned. I can't believe that even the awfulness of Ohio is powerful enough to overcome good bud.
September 16th, 2014 at 11:36 AM ^
You're not dead last on any list of socio-economic status. You're welcome.
Sincerely,
West Virginia
September 16th, 2014 at 11:24 AM ^
Ironically, West Virgnia and Kentucky are only as miserable as they are because they are being grouped with Ohio.
Figure that one out.
September 16th, 2014 at 11:30 AM ^
I loved Ann Arbor when I was there from 2001-2006.
However, having grown up in Columbus, the city has really taken off in terms of culture, artistry, and social scene. I live on the north side in Worthington which is a beautiful suburban part of the city.
It is no Ann Arbor, but as a place to raise a family - I am very satisfied.
Also, one thing that always bugged me was the state of the roads in MI. Horrendous and loud vs the roads in Ohio. But out cops are bigger assholes too which sucks.
September 16th, 2014 at 12:54 PM ^
You should be auto-ported to La Paz alongside me until such time as you leave C-bus.
September 16th, 2014 at 11:30 AM ^
Small victories
September 16th, 2014 at 11:44 AM ^
Living well is the best revenge.
September 16th, 2014 at 11:45 AM ^
Ohio!
September 16th, 2014 at 11:49 AM ^
in WV, raised in Ohio, and moved to Michigan in his teens. He upgraded twice.
WV has quite a few Italians. It's like a mini Jersey.
September 16th, 2014 at 11:53 AM ^
Sorry, but where in the article are you seeing that we are #1? I see us as #6 for overall well-being, and I don't see any mention of a happiness score.
September 16th, 2014 at 12:39 PM ^
“Residents of Ann Arbor, Mich., rated their current and future lives the best, for the second year in a row.” For the sake of brevity in the title, I labeled such ratings as “happiness”—as opposed to other elements of well being like health, physical conditioning, access to care etc.
September 16th, 2014 at 11:56 AM ^
I would think Ohio is a happy state.
September 16th, 2014 at 12:07 PM ^
I live in Ann Arbor and I have the BEST and HAPPIEST life.
I've been reading MgoBlog since 2007 and despite it being a guilty pleasure, maybe it is the problem b/c Michigan Football has not been the same since then.
September 16th, 2014 at 12:07 PM ^
"...shit I've known that for 10 years!"
Ann Arbor, Madison, and Chicago are the best places to live in the Midwest. CInci and Indianapolis are pretty nice too.
September 16th, 2014 at 12:12 PM ^
If you're talking about just Midwest then you can't leave Grand Rapids off of that list. Night and day better than it was just 10 years ago.
September 16th, 2014 at 1:41 PM ^
What about Kalamazoo? Not too shabbiy itself...
September 16th, 2014 at 2:09 PM ^
then you get extra bonus points... Nice place to visit but I'd live in A2, Traverse City, or GR first. Just my opinion from a lifetime of visiting these places.
September 17th, 2014 at 8:04 AM ^
And a lifetime resident (all but two years when I went to GVSU, transfered to WMU to finish) I can say that Kalamazoo is a much more liberal community, if thats your thing. Grand Rapids has LOTS of violence, I mean....A LOT, compared to Kalamazoo. I would also say that GR is much more segregated than a lot of places, not much racial tolerance from what I observed, but I could be way off there. It is also the freakin Bible belt so theres that, its gets pretty annoying. So to each their own I suppose, but Kalamazoo has a lot of great things to offer, like, say The Kalamazoo Promise!
September 17th, 2014 at 8:54 AM ^
Yeah, you are way off. GR is a vibrant and diverse community.
September 16th, 2014 at 12:19 PM ^
MSP belongs on that list, too, maybe not in the Chi/AA/Madison tier but it's a great place to live.
September 16th, 2014 at 2:13 PM ^
So is Cedar Rapids, but I just feel like I'm in an episode of Fargo everytime I visit. Not that there is anythng wrong with that.
Wonder what da locals tink of dat Adrian Pederson fella?
September 17th, 2014 at 4:52 AM ^
I don't mind Cinci, it's a nice place, but that's because it's basically northern Kentucky :)
September 16th, 2014 at 12:31 PM ^
I don't know, this guy seems pretty happy to me
September 16th, 2014 at 12:52 PM ^
Wtf is Chuck Spicyweiner doing in that shirt? And how dare he shorn the mullet?
September 16th, 2014 at 1:41 PM ^
you mean Carlos?
September 16th, 2014 at 1:46 PM ^
is Carlos' cousin.
September 17th, 2014 at 5:50 PM ^
So awesome.
September 16th, 2014 at 2:01 PM ^
Been some time since I thought about Carl Monday, and LOL'd at that one. Thank you! Is he still witih us, or did the tatoo brigade finally catch up to him?
September 16th, 2014 at 12:51 PM ^
As long as Ann Arbor has Zingermann's, it'll stay at the top.
September 16th, 2014 at 12:56 PM ^
Southern ohio is pretty nice. Northern is really lame
September 16th, 2014 at 1:42 PM ^
state of Michigan compare to the state of Ohio? is it mentioned?
September 16th, 2014 at 2:21 PM ^
#34 (vs #47 Ohio). (based on personal ratings, emotional health, overall health, physical conditioning, access to care etc.)
September 16th, 2014 at 1:54 PM ^
There's only like 20 kids from the state of Ohio on UM's roster...no big deal.
September 16th, 2014 at 2:02 PM ^
At least they have Cedar Point. Nice place to visit for a day.
September 16th, 2014 at 6:20 PM ^
But every time I go there I run into miserable people. They're so down on themselves that they wear grey and red, IN PUBLIC! Sad, Sad people