Illinois Improves To Average In Gallup's Well-Being Index

By John Dodge

CHICAGO (CBS) -- When it comes to overall well-being of its residents, Illinois is pretty average compared with the rest of the nation, but the state has made good progress in Gallup's annual Well-Being Index.

The state ranks 22nd with an index score of 66.9 (out of 100). In 2011, Illinois ranked 32nd. The national average was 66.2.

North Dakota (70.4) and South Dakota (70.0) were rated No. 1 and No. 2, according to Gallup, which has been compiling the index for six years.

The Well-Being Index is calculated on a scale of 0 to 100, where a score of 100 represents ideal well-being.

The index is calculated using an average of six categories: Life evaluation, emotional health, work environment, physical health, healthy behaviors and access to basic necessities.

North Dakota was the top state on two of the six well-being sub-indexes: Work environment and physical health.

At the opposite end of the spectrum was West Virginia, which ranked last on all sub-indexes except work environment (Mississippi). West Virginia's life evaluation score was only 39.3, 17 points below top ranked Nebraska in that sub category.

Illinois ranked 10th overall in physical health, its highest ranking among the sub-indexes.

Among the factors included in overall well-being are things like job creation, income, government leadership and access to health care and healthy living, according to Gallup.