The Vermont Happiness Survey is the first state-based, random telephone study utilizing the Gross National Happiness (GNH) Index. This reports looks at the 2013 Vermont (statewide) results for the 10 GNH domains. The GNH Index was developed utilizing four decades of well-being, happiness and quality of life surveys to measure 10 GNH domains: psychological well-being; physical health; time balance; community vitality; social connectedness; education and cultural access; environmental quality/access to nature; good governance; material well-being; and work experience. The survey was designed to provide a solid baseline so that communities, towns and organizations can use the survey to identify trends and mark progress by measuring what matters. 

I. Vermont Survey

The Vermont Happiness Survey is the first state-based, random telephone study using the Gross National Happiness (GNH) Index. The GNH Index was developed using four decades of well-being, happiness, and quality of life surveys to measure the 10 GNH domains:

• Psychological well-being (Satisfaction and optimism in individual life)
• Physical health (Health, disability, exercise, sleep and nutrition)
• Time balance (Time for recreation and socializing with family and friends)
• Community vitality (Relationships and interactions in communities)
• Social connectedness (Sense of belonging and vitality of relationships)
• Education and cultural access (Access to educational and cultural opportunities)
• Environmental quality/access to nature (Perceived quality of local water, air, and soil)
• Good governance (Ability to access government and affect change)
• Material well-being (Individual and family income and financial security)
• Work experience (Satisfaction with working life)

Data collection for the 2013 Vermont Happiness Survey used a random sample of Vermont households and interviewed only respondents that were 18 years of age or more. Calling took place during weekdays and weekends between the hours of 9am and 8pm. A total of 426 completed responses were collected ensuring a confidence level of 95% and a confidence interval (Margin of Error) of +/-4.9%. This means that if this study were conducted 100 times, 95 of those times, results would fall within +/-4.9% of what was found in this effort.

The Gross National Happiness Index is directly inspired by work conducted in Bhutan which has later been used by the United Nations, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), numerous countries and communities (Centre For Bhutan Studies & GNH Research, February 29, 2016). The Vermont survey included Cantril’s Ladder of Life and four United Kingdom Quality of Life questions to enable wider comparisons. The survey was designed to provide a solid baseline so that communities, towns and organizations can use the survey to identify trends and mark progress by measuring what matters. Table A displays the Vermont Happines Survey questions by domain and their associated survey responses/response values.

Table A. 2013 Vermont Happiness Survey Domains by Question and Question Responses/Values

II. United States Survey

The GNH Index is used to collect data across the United States. The national survey uses a web-based, self-reporting response methodology that is different from the statistically-valid methods used in the Vermont data collection effort. While the methodologies are different, Table B displays some of the national results in the absence of other fully-comparable research at this time.

Table B. 2013 National Happiness Survey Results

III. Contributors to the Research Design of the 2013 Vermont Happiness Survey

Ryan T. Howell, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Psychology Department
San Francisco State University
Co-found of Beyond the Purchase

Michael Moser
Coordinator, Vermont State Data Center
University of Vermont, Center for Rural Studies
mmoser@uvm.edu, (802) 656-0864

Tom Barefoot
Co-coordinator, Vermont Data Collaborative and Gross National Happiness, USA
tom@gnhusa.org

Special Thanks to:

Carol Graham
Leo Pasvolsky Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution
College Park Professor, University of Maryland

Valid response counts for the 2013 Vermont Happiness Survey include the number of complete responses received for each survey question. Sample counts represent the sample size for each survey question. Valid responses and sample counts were not calculated for the survey domains to limit confusion around the number of respondents.

Mean scores for individual Vermont Happiness Survey questions were calculated using the following formula:

([Sum of Scores from All Valid Responses] / [Total Number of Valid Responses])

Mean domain scores were calculated using the following formula:

([Sum of the Mean Valid Responses for All Questions in the Domain] / [Total Number of Questions in the Domain])

For a comprehensive list of question response sets/values making up each Vermont Well-being Survey domain, please refer to Table A in the Background tab/section.

The 2013 Vermont Happiness Survey used a random sample of Vermont households and interviewed only respondents that were 18 years of age or more. A telephone survey collection methodology was used, potentially increasing the risk for a lack of representativeness, as households with no landline telephone are not represented. Calling also only took place during weekdays and weekends between the hours of 9am and 8pm.