Naples: The Happiest Place in America
The Gallup Healthways State of America Well-Being Series just published their yearly results for 2016. The survey studied residents of 189 communities across America to determine which localities are the happiest (and unhappiest) in the country. All rankings were based on community-level data distilled down from more than 354,000 interviews with U.S. adults across all fifty states, taking place between January 2, 2015 through December 30, 2016. The five criteria used to determine the level of well-being include:
- Physical: having good health and enough energy to get things done daily.
- Purpose: people liking what they do each day and being motivated to achieve their goals.
- Social: having supportive relationships and love in your life.
- Financial: managing your economic life to reduce stress and increase security.
- Community: liking where you live, feeling safe and having pride in your community.
After completing their mathematical calculations, the researchers determined that Naples-Marco Island was the overall happiest place in America – for the second year in a row!
According to Dan Witters, research director of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, “People in Naples really take care of themselves.” Beyond the sublime climate and manicured gardens, the wonderful beaches, restaurants, and shopping, and its cultural attractions, Naples received plaudits for the 2015 launch of the Blue Zones Project along with the city’s completion of a redevelopment project that added roundabouts, sidewalks and bike lanes. Witters added, “Number one, Naples, had the most carefree residents in the country.”
While accurately measuring a “happiness quotient” when comparing localities is difficult to do, it is clear from the study that the Naples-Marco Island area will continue into the future to be a highly sought after region for a first or second home.
For those interested in exploring those possibilities, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at Downing-Frye – a real estate firm renowned for its integrity and professionalism, with deep roots in the community stretching back many decades.