Aren’t you tired of hearing that West Virginia is the unhappiest state in the nation? Or the most obese? Or any other Gallup poll that comes out about how bad it is here?
We live in West Virginia, and we love it. Why is that? What questions aren’t the national polls asking about what makes many people want to live here, move here, and work hard to improve their communities?
Over the coming months, we aim to find out.
At yesterday’s Hubapalooza spectacular in Summersville, we asked the audience of 160 + “what poll would you like to see West Virginia on top of?” We asked them to text us, tweet us, or post their answers on our Facebook page. It was interesting to hear what they said. Here’s a sample of the many answers we received.
- Least change averse.
- Entrepreneurs per capita.
- Inclusion of people with disabilities.
- Lowest rates of illicit drug use.
- Locally-sourced school lunches.
- Healthy and well-educated children.
- Best rail-trails and trail towns.
- Post-high school education.
- Residents utilizing natural resources.
- Healthiest and happiest people.
- Best places to live.
- Supportive of LBGT rights.
- Best places to experience nature.
- Tourism destination.
- Lowest unemployment rate.
- Quality of life.
- Best workforce.
- Lowest obesity rate.
- Most resilient state.
- Best place to spend the weekend.
- Best place to grow up.
How about you? What poll would you like to see West Virginia on top of?
Lowest local and state corruption levels
— lowest unemployment rate
— most new good jobs/population
— Nicest, most welcoming people
Healthiest state in the nation
– lowest teen pregnancy rate
– lowest obesity rate
– lowest diabetes rate
– lowest heart disease rate
– lowest rate of heroin or prescription drug abuse
– lowest use of tobacco rate
If you have your health, you become able to pursue everything else that leads to being a wealthier place both in terms of actual personal and community wealth and being a quality community in which local citizens can thrive.