Study: We're the happiest state in the nation

Lincoln Journal Star ^ | Mon April 6, 2009 | Micah Mertes

[posterchild]

We cheer the reddest. We corn the hardest. And, apparently, we grin the widest.

Because Nebraska is the happiest state in the U.S., a new study says.

The survey — conducted by personal finance Web site MainStreet.com — ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from fiscally happiest to saddest based on a few factors of economic well-being. These included foreclosure numbers, unemployment rates and the ratio of average debt to average annual income.

“It reflects the attitude of this state,” said Gov. Dave Heineman. “We are a positive people with a can-do attitude who are focused on results. If you look at the criterion, (the survey) reflects the common financial sense that we have in this state.

“We didn’t get into the trouble that other states are in because our people, frankly, didn’t make bad financial decisions. We’ve tightened our belts. We just don’t spend money we don’t have.”

[Right Brother]

What's that thing in the lower left hand corner?

It's a tree. It fell off of a truck taking it to the Ripley's "Believe It Or Not" museum in Lincoln.

[Waco]

Quick! Move the nations’ Capitol there. That’ll screw em D.C. style.

[posterchild]

I’ve driven through TX south of Midland, from El Paso to Austin. Seemed like a really beautiful area.

[SnakeDoctor]

I’m surprised Texas isn’t among the top. You’ll be hard-pressed to find more grounded, salt-of-the-earth people. Maybe the wackos in Austin, and Houston’s “montrose” population are dragging us down. A miserable lot they are.

SnakeDoc

[SnakeDoctor]

My wife is a transplanted Midlandian. Still got a lot of in laws around there. Its a hell of a drive getting from Houston to Midland to visit every year ... 500 miles of nothing.

SnakeDoc

[posterchild]

It’s both an alternative fuel and an alternative lifestyle.

[BluH2o]

Business use to take me to Nebraska on a fairly regular basis at one time. Spent time in McCook, North Platte, Kearney, Grand Island, Hastings, Lincoln & Omaha. Nebraska, like many plains states, is stark ... but has its own natural beauty. The residents are very friendly and I always looked forward to my Nebraska trips. Nebraska also has some attractive young ladies, I mentioned natural beauty earlier, being a bachelor in those days ... well, you get my drift.

[Theodore R.]

Actually, there are a lot of liberals in Omaha and quite a few in Lincoln too.

[Springman]

MI is #44. At least we’re above Ohio, #45.

[posterchild]

...
Where the girls are the fairest,
The boys are the squarest,
Of any old place that you knew.
There is no place like Nebraska,
...

[astyanax]

50 states + DC.
Ahhh.
Consider me humbled.
Wait... what, no territories?!
I'm outraged!
;o)

[rwfromkansas]

Well, south of here has a different landscape. Flat, dry, full of shrubs here. I can take the flat, but not having green grass ever since I got here is depressing.

[rwfromkansas]

The people here are great though....very nice.

[rwfromkansas]

Plains girls often end up toward the top of the Miss USA contests etc.

[posterchild]

Much like with voting maps, I bet if the study was done on a per county basis we’d see a similar pattern with a wide range in each state.

[Leg Olam]

ENGLISH BOB
What I heard was that you fell
off your horse drunk and broke
your neck.

LITTLE BILL
I heard that one myself, Bob.
Hell, I even thought I was dead
til I found out it was just I
was in Nebraska.

[inpajamas]

The only place happier than Nebraska right now is an insane asylum Something to consider.

[chuckles]

...."The only reason Texas didn’t win"......

The only reason Texas didn’t win is because the study takers didn't understand English.

[MountainDad]

I'm happy as ever here in Nebraska.

I especially get a kick out of all the crazy nonsense going on with our neighbor to the east.