Time and time again Alaska has been ranked as one of the happiest states in America. If you live here, you know exactly why. Culture and a strong sense of pride in community are hard to quantify in survey research, but they’re very real and very significant. Here are 10 reasons why Alaska is the happiest place in America.

  1. Sense Of Community

Flickr/NASA Goddard Space Flight Center When you don’t need to own a TV because you gather with friends to watch the Northern Lights instead, you know you’re a special kind of spoiled.

  1. Outdoor Activities

Flickr/Alex Guichet The list is endless! Basically, Alaska is every outdoorsman’s version of Disney Land.

  1. Work/Life Balance

Flickr/Paxson Woelber Where else can you work only half of the year and get an annual salary? Not to mention, when you love what you do – you never have to work a day in your life.

  1. Wildlife

Flickr/patrickmoody There is something so liberating about knowing that this is their land, and we just live on it. Alaskans have such a profound respect for the animals that roam the last frontier.

  1. Connection With Nature

Flickr/karina yeznaian “The mountains are calling, and I must go!” - John Muir. Alaskans are so proud to be different. They dance to the beat of their own drum. And if you don’t understand, they’re okay with that.

  1. Natural Beauty

Flickr/Paxson Woelber In Alaska, the sights are pinch-worthy on a daily basis. Even lifelong Alaskans never tire of the state’s truly unique beauty. The Alaska Almanac estimates that Alaska has over 100,000 glaciers.

  1. Clean Air

Flickr/Jasperdo The scarce population density and the mild weather in Alaska keep everyone breathing the purest, freshest air possible.

  1. Wild Fish & Game

Flickr/Marshal Hedin A happy life starts with a healthy lifestyle. Alaskans are proud to be able to hand source wild organic hormone-free fish and wild game for their families.

  1. No Traffic

Flickr/Poom! The average American spends 42 hours a year stuck in traffic. Never have we been more proud to not be average! We’ll just ride our 4-wheeler to work anyways.

  1. Midnight Sun

Flickr/Dave Hensley Two day weekends turn into four day weekends all summer long. “We’ll sleep in the wintertime" – said every Alaskan, ever.

If you live in Alaska, you know that the list of reasons why it is the happiest place in America could easily go on for days. But we can’t give away all of the secrets of the last frontier. One thing we all love about Alaska is how uninhabited and untouched the state is. What is it about Alaska that makes it your happy place?

Flickr/NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

When you don’t need to own a TV because you gather with friends to watch the Northern Lights instead, you know you’re a special kind of spoiled.

Flickr/Alex Guichet

The list is endless! Basically, Alaska is every outdoorsman’s version of Disney Land.

Flickr/Paxson Woelber

Where else can you work only half of the year and get an annual salary? Not to mention, when you love what you do – you never have to work a day in your life.

Flickr/patrickmoody

There is something so liberating about knowing that this is their land, and we just live on it. Alaskans have such a profound respect for the animals that roam the last frontier.

Flickr/karina yeznaian

“The mountains are calling, and I must go!” - John Muir. Alaskans are so proud to be different. They dance to the beat of their own drum. And if you don’t understand, they’re okay with that.

Flickr/Paxson Woelber

In Alaska, the sights are pinch-worthy on a daily basis. Even lifelong Alaskans never tire of the state’s truly unique beauty. The Alaska Almanac estimates that Alaska has over 100,000 glaciers.

Flickr/Jasperdo

The scarce population density and the mild weather in Alaska keep everyone breathing the purest, freshest air possible.

Flickr/Marshal Hedin

A happy life starts with a healthy lifestyle. Alaskans are proud to be able to hand source wild organic hormone-free fish and wild game for their families.

Flickr/Poom!

The average American spends 42 hours a year stuck in traffic. Never have we been more proud to not be average! We’ll just ride our 4-wheeler to work anyways.

Flickr/Dave Hensley

Two day weekends turn into four day weekends all summer long. “We’ll sleep in the wintertime" – said every Alaskan, ever.

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