Utah is one of the happiest states

When preparing for a daily radio show, I come across a lot of surveys and it seems like lately there are a lot of them that rank the 50 states on all sorts of different attributes. It’s fun to see how well Utah does in some of the key measurements. As I combine a few of these surveys into one, there’s a LOT to like about living here. Those who have lived in other states have an even greater appreciation for all that Utah has to offer.  

Did you know Utah is ranked #4 on the scale of “Happiest states”? We may complain about the drought we’re in right now (and even that is better lately) but as we take the bad with the good, we’re 9th best for Sunshine. When you start with sunny skies and happy people, it’s no wonder our economy does so well. We have the 3rd fastest growing economy of all 50 states.  

I have friends and family in Illinois and New York who are choking on their property taxes. Have you ever done one of those calculators where you run the numbers on the home you live in here using the assessment in Illinois? It’s horrible. New York is as bad or worse. We’re 4th best for property taxes.  

We finish near the top before you add cool things like Year-Round Recreation. No one comes close when it comes to hiking, biking, rafting, rock climbing, snow-skiing/boarding and even backpacking. Tell your friends you played golf today, just for a laugh.

I feel sorry for people trying to get through the winter months in Minnesota or Wisconsin. It’s so bad in Wisconsin that people walk through hamster habitat tunnels instead of sidewalks. We get great scores for low crime and we get good marks for education too when compared to other states.  

With all of that in our favor, then we play our ace. National parks that no other state can match. Not to mention the best snow on earth just a short drive away giving us an even bigger win for outdoor recreation.  I really like warm weather but I like being able to hop in the car and be standing on my snow skis in no time on the days where you want something different.  

So, if you feel stressed out today, just know there are people in more than 40 states that are really jealous that you woke up here and they’re... someplace else.