Gallup ranks Sarasota metro area at top of well-being index

Sarasota County continues to rack up No. 1 rankings, the latest of which puts the North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton metro area on top of the nation in terms of well-being.

Research consultant Gallup and partner Healthways gave the region a 64.1 on the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, which measures "life evaluation, emotional health, work environment, physical health, healthy behaviors and access to basic necessities.” The local metro area beat out Honolulu and Raleigh, N.C. in the report.

The Well-Being Index is based on an individual's motivation to achieve their goals, social relationships, financial security, community pride and physical health. 

“North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, the community with the highest overall Well-Being Index score, does not lead in any element, but is in the top 12 in all five elements,” said Gallup Research Director Dan Witters in an April 7 post. “This community is characterized by particularly strong physical, financial and social well-being, ranked second, second and fourth in the nation, respectively, in those elements.”

The research groups surveyed roughly 176,000 people across the nation throughout 2014 to come up with the index.

“In communities with higher well-being, we have found that people live longer, happier lives and business and local economies flourish,” said author and recent Ringling College Library Association Town Hall Lecture Series speaker Dan Buettner in the report. “A reliable well-being metric provides community and business leaders with the data and insights they need to help make sustained transformation a reality."