16 happiest states of 2012

Are you living in a state of perpetual happiness? The 2012 Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index ranked the 50 states according to six categories: life evaluation, emotional health, physical health, healthy behaviors, work environment and basic access to develop and prioritize ways for their community to thrive and expand. On average, Americans have a 66.0 out of 100 on the happiness scale. While they excel in basic access and emotional health (82.7 and 78.9 respectively), life evaluation and work environment (47.8 and 48.4) were rated towards the bottom. Which states had the happiest residents? Keep clicking to find out

16. Connecticut

Deep snow blankets Hamden, Conn., a town 80 miles from New York City. Connecticut ranked 16th overall when it came to happiness with a score of 67.6. Last year it was number 19 with a score of 67.2. Life evaluation: 48.2 Emotional Health: 79.5 Physical Health: 79.0 Healthy behavior: 66.7 Work environment: 47.1 Basic access: 85.4

15. Washington

Ash and steam spews from Mount Saint Helens volcano in the largest and ashiest yet in a series of growing eruptions that began last week, as seen on Coldwater Ridge October 5, 2004 in Mount Saint Helens National Monument, Wash. Washington ranked 15th overall when it came to happiness with a score of 67.7. Last year it was number 17 with a score of 67.3. Life evaluation: 49.8 Emotional Health: 79.6 Physical Health: 76.9 Healthy behavior: 66.5 Work environment: 49.8 Basic access: 83.4

14. Virginia

A man bikes on the Virginia Creeper Trail, a 34.3-mile rail-to-recreation trail starting in Abingdon, Va. and ending just past Whitetop Station at the Virginia-North Carolina border. Virginia ranked 14th overall when it came to happiness with a score of 67.7. Last year it was number 15 with a score of 67.4. Life evaluation: 51.6 Emotional Health: 79.9 Physical Health: 77.8 Healthy behavior: 64.9 Work environment: 48.2 Basic access: 83.9

13. Wyoming

grizzly, bear, yellowstone, wyoming, generic — KAREN BLEIER/AFP/GettyImages

A Grizzly bear mother and her cub walk near Pelican Creek Oct. 8, 2012 in the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Virginia ranked 13th overall when it came to happiness with a score of 67.9. Last year it was number 21 with a score of 66.9. Life evaluation: 47.4 Emotional Health: 81.7 Physical Health: 77.9 Healthy behavior: 64.4 Work environment: 53.5 Basic access: 82.5

12. South Dakota

This 2007 file photo provided by South Dakota Magazine shows Reynolds Prairie in the Black Hills of South Dakota. South Dakota ranked 12th overall when it came to happiness with a score of 68.0. Last year it was number 11 with a score of 67.8. Life evaluation: 52.5 Emotional Health: 80.8 Physical Health: 78.5 Healthy behavior: 63.5 Work environment: 46.8 Basic access: 85.7

11. Maryland

Birds sit in the Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland in August 2010. Maryland ranked 11th overall when it came to happiness with a score of 68.0. Last year it was number 13 with a score of 67.6. Life evaluation: 54.9 Emotional Health: 79.9 Physical Health: 77.9 Healthy behavior: 64.8 Work environment: 47.5 Basic access: 83.1

10. Massachusetts

The MacLaurin Building is shown on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Feb. 22, 2006, in Cambridge, Mass. Massachusetts ranked 10th overall when it came to happiness with a score of 68.1. Last year it was number 14 with a score of 67.4. Life evaluation: 52.0 Emotional Health: 78.2 Physical Health: 77.5 Healthy behavior: 65.7 Work environment: 48.4 Basic access: 86.9

9. Iowa

In this June 6, 2006, file photo Bob Schrock, right, and Tyler Hiltner gather winter canola in Schrock's field near Kiowa, Kan. Iowa ranked ninth overall when it came to happiness with a score of 68.1. Last year it was number 16 with a score of 67.4. Life evaluation: 48.9 Emotional Health: 80.5 Physical Health: 78.1 Healthy behavior: 62.7 Work environment: 52.8 Basic access: 85.9

8. New Hampshire

New Hampshire ranked eight overall when it came to happiness with a score of 68.4. Last year it was number 8 with a score of 68.2. Life evaluation: 51.5 Emotional Health: 79.7 Physical Health: 77.5 Healthy behavior: 67.3 Work environment: 48.6 Basic access: 85.7

7. Nebraska

Nebraska ranked seventh overall when it came to happiness with a score of 68.5. Last year it was number 8 with a score of 68.3. Life evaluation: 51.6 Emotional Health: 81.3 Physical Health: 78.1 Healthy behavior: 62.2 Work environment: 52.6 Basic access: 85.0

6. Montana

Montana ranked sixth overall when it came to happiness with a score of 68.5. Last year it was number 10 with a score of 68.0. Life evaluation: 50.4 Emotional Health: 80.7 Physical Health: 77.2 Healthy behavior: 67.9 Work environment: 51.6 Basic access: 83.3

5. Vermont

vermont, generic, state, 4x3 — iStockphoto

Vermont ranked fifth overall when it came to happiness with a score of 68.6. Last year it was number 12 with a score of 67.7. Life evaluation: 50.9 Emotional Health: 80.3 Physical Health: 77.9 Healthy behavior: 70.0 Work environment: 47.4 Basic access: 85.3

4. Utah

Salt Lake City smog — AP Photo/Rick Bowmer

Utah ranked fourth overall when it came to happiness with a score of 68.8. Last year it was number 5 with a score of 69.0. Life evaluation: 53.1 Emotional Health: 80.4 Physical Health: 77.4 Healthy behavior: 66.3 Work environment: 50.0 Basic access: 85.5

3. Minnesota

Minnesota ranked third overall when it came to happiness with a score of 68.9. Last year it was number 2 with a score of 69.2. Life evaluation: 51.6 Emotional Health: 81.5 Physical Health: 79.1 Healthy behavior: 64.9 Work environment: 50.3 Basic access: 86.2

2. Colorado

colorado, state, 4x3, generic — istockphoto

Colorado ranked second overall when it came to happiness with a score of 69.7. Last year it was number 6 with a score of 68.4. Life evaluation: 52.6 Emotional Health: 81.1 Physical Health: 79.5 Healthy behavior: 67.6 Work environment: 52.9 Basic access: 84.2

1. Hawaii

Hawaii ranked best overall when it came to happiness with a score of 71.1. Last year it was number 1 with a score of 70.2. Life evaluation: 57.2 Emotional Health: 83.6 Physical Health: 79.2 Healthy behavior: 68.4 Work environment: 54.1 Basic access: 83.9