Topeka has the fourth lowest well-being in the nation, or 185th out of 189 communities, according to a Gallup Healthways survey. The survey examined well-being in 189 communities. Only Fort Smith, Arkansas; Hickory, North Carolina; and Huntington, West Virginia ranked lower than the Kansas Capitol City.
The survey used data collected from more than 350,000 telephone interviews with adults in all 50 states. Analysts ranked communities on five elements of well-being–purpose, social, financial, community, and physical–and used those rankings to determine an overall well-being score. Topeka ranked 85th in financial, which the study defined as managing economic life to reduce stress and increase security. The community ranked lowest, 183rd, in physical, or what the study defined as having good health and enough energy to get things done daily.
Other parts of Kansas fared slightly better than Topeka in the survey. The Kansas City metropolitan area ranked 85th, and the Wichita area ranked 135th. The Naples, Florida, community boasted the top rank for community well-being, followed by Barnstable Town, Massachusetts; Santa Cruz, California; urban Honolulu, and Charlottesville, Virginia.
Blue Zones Project at Healthways commissioned the annual survey.
“Where you live can impact your health and well-being,” Michael Acker, Blue Zones Project General Manager, said. “Innovative leaders are transforming their communities to create improvements in how people socialize, work, eat, play, and move.”
