Overall, 2017 was a challenging year for Americans’ well-being, according to the Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index for 2017 released today. 

The national Well-Being Index score in 2017 was 61.5 – a decline from 62.1 in 2016. This overall drop was characterized by declines in 21 states, easily the largest year-over-year decline
in the 10-year history of the Well-Being Index. Not a single state showed statistically
significant improvement compared with the previous year, which is also unprecedented in
Well-Being Index measurement. 

Iowa was among 29 states whose well-being scores did not statistically decline from 2016 to 2017. Iowa’s relative ranking among the states declined to 21st overall, from 19th in 2016. The measure is used by the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative as a yardstick for the state’s progress on its goal to be the healthiest state in the nation. 

The index, which summarizes more than 2.5 million surveys, captures how Americans feel about and experience their daily lives. The report examines well-being across the nation, including how well-being varies by state and which states lead and lag across the five elements of well-being. 

The five elements, and Iowa’s relative rank among the states, are:

• Purpose: liking what you do each day and being motivated to achieve your goals (35th).
• Social: having supportive relationships and love in your life (46th).
• Financial: managing your economic life to reduce stress and increase security (sixth).
• Community: liking where you live, feeling safe, and having pride in your community (12th).
• Physical: having good health and enough energy to get things done daily (38th).

With the exception of community well-being, all of the national well-being elements suffered declines in 2017. These declines came despite improvement in key economic metrics, including unemployment, perceptions of standard of living, confidence in the economy, and optimism about spending.

Two key elements of well-being – social and purpose – declined particularly sharply. In the case of social well-being, fewer Americans agree that their friends and family provide them with positive energy every day and that someone in their life always encourages them to be healthy. 

As for purpose, fewer agree that they like what they do each day and that there is a leader in their life who makes them feel enthusiastic about the future.