Region is Third Happiest Community in U.S.

Bradenton-Sarasota-North Port region is the third happiest community in U.S.
The Bradenton-Sarasota-North Port area was ranked the third-highest community for well-being in the United States by the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index released Tuesday, February 23, a drop from No. 1 last year.
Well-being encompasses five elements: purpose, social, financial, community and physical. Florida gained 14 spots since 2014, claiming 12th in well-being nationwide.
Overall well-being across the United States was unchanged, but some specific areas saw an increase.
“There are many positive national well-being trends including an uptick in financial well-being, a decline in the uninsured rate, a decline in smoking to its lowest rate since our measurement began in 2008, an increase in reported exercise, and declines in food and health care insecurity,” the report states. “Life evaluation — how Americans rate and perceive their lives — also reached its highest levels yet.”
The Bradenton-Sarasota-North Port area ranked the highest out of 190 communities for financial well-being, second for social, seventh in physical, 14th in purpose and 15th in community. Last year, the area was second in financial, fourth in social, second in physical, 11th in purpose and 12th in community.
Nick Azzara, spokesman for the Manatee County Commission, said he isn’t surprised by the rating and hears from citizens all the time about why they love the Bradenton area.
“There’s good mojo in Manatee County right now,” Azzara said.
Azzara cited the multiple beaches, parks, family friendly activities and museums, not only in Manatee County itself ,but also within a short driving distance in Tampa and St. Petersburg. He added it was a record year for the county in the number of residential building permits and economic impact from tourism, as well as a low unemployment rate of 4.4 percent.
“People obviously love both living and visiting here and they always have,” Azzara said.
Azzara said they do hear complaints about traffic and high costs for housing, but those are problems throughout Florida due to its popularity and are more manageable in Manatee than other areas of the state.
“We’re a middle-class family, and we live out in Parrish and it’s affordable. There are good homes for young professionals,” Azzara said, talking about his own family. “We’re farther from the beach than we’d like, but it’s not a long drive.”
The data are based on 353,983 telephone interviews with U.S. adults across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, conducted from Jan. 2, 2014, to Dec. 30, 2015.
The Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island area was ranked No. 1 in well-being nationally in 2015, the only other Florida community to make the top 10.
Bradenton Herald February 23, 2016