Alaska edged out Hawaii and is now at the top of the rankings of the nation's happiest states for the first time. 
 
 The nation's largest and most northern state scored highest in the 2014 Gallup-Healthways' annual survey of well-being, with a score of 64.7 out of 100. Alaska has previously ranked among the top 10 happiest states, but this is the first year it has been the winner since the survey began in 2008. 
 
 In second place was Hawaii, which held the top spot from 2009 to 2012, but in 2013 came in eighth. The winner in 2013, North Dakota, saw a dramatic drop in its ranking, coming in 23rd in 2014. This drop was mostly due to a decline in North Dakotans' evaluation of their lives overall, and also an increase in unhealthy behaviors among the population, such as higher smoking rates and less exercise, compared with 2013, Gallup said. 
 
 The rankings are based on interviews with more than 176,000 U.S. adults in all 50 states. The researchers calculated a well-being score for each state, based on participants' answers to questions about different aspects of well-being, such as their sense of purpose, social relationships, financial lives, community involvement and physical health. [The Happiest States in 2014: Full List] 
 
 States in the Northern Plains and Mountain West tended to have higher well-being scores than states in the South and Midwest. Kentucky and West Virginia came in at the bottom of the rankings for the sixth year in a row, Gallup said. 
 
 A population's well-being is important because it is closely tied to people's health and work abilities, such as obesity rates, workplace performance and employee engagement, Gallup said. 
 
 States can implement initiatives to improve specific aspects of their residents' well-being — for example, they can work with schools, grocery stores and restaurants to include more wholesome food options, and they can work with the government and other entities to make changes that may improve community life, such as making areas more walkable or increasing the number of social activities, Gallup said. 
 
 The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index was conducted between Jan. 2 and Dec. 30, 2014, and its well-being score has a margin of error of about 0.1 percentage points. 
 
 Follow Rachael Rettner @RachaelRettner. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. ||||| The sun sets behind mountains on New Year's Eve in Honolulu. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images) 
 
 Which state's residents are most fulfilled? 
 
 Hawaii's, of course. The island — often compared to paradise — scores highest on a new ranking of states by residents' well-being. But, if that was obvious, the state that ranked second may not be: it's ice-cold Alaska. 
 
 That's according to the latest Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, a ranking that seeks to capture how residents of each state feel about their sense of purpose and community, social and financial status and physical health. The ranking is based on more than 175,000 telephone interviews of adults conducted throughout 2015. 
 
 Nationally, America's well-being was statistically the same between 2014 and 2015. 
 
 That's not to say attitudes aren't improving. Financial well-being rose and American perceptions and ratings of their lives reached an all-time high. At the same time, food and health-care insecurity and smoking rates fell. 
 
 But there is some backsliding, too. Obesity continued to climb and more part-time employees were seeking full-time work. 
 
 In the end, the West won out, claiming all but two of the top 10 spots. The South dominated the bottom of the list, claiming all but three of the bottom 10. 
 
 Hawaii returned to its top ranking — a title it has held five times since 2008. Alaska fell one spot to second place, followed by Montana, Colorado and Wyoming. 
 
 Delaware scored highest by sense of purpose; South Carolinians were most socially fulfilled; Alaskans felt most financially secure; Montanans were happiest with their sense of community; and Hawaii scored highest by physical well-being. 
 
 West Virginia ranked dead last, just behind Kentucky. (Both states have brought up the rear since 2008.) Oklahoma was next. Ohio and Indiana tied for 47th place, just behind Missouri. 
 
 Alabama was most improved, rising 18 spots from the year before. 
 
 The most-improved states. (Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index) 
 
 Vermont fell hardest, dropping 16 spots.
– Dark horse Alaska has come from behind to claim the title of the happiest state in the US, LiveScience reports. Snagging the designation from 2013 winner North Dakota, Alaska—which didn't even make the top 10 in 2013—topped Gallup's Well-Being Index in 2014 for the first time since tracking began in 2008. North Dakota crashed to the 23rd spot, while Hawaii, which has stayed in the top 10 every year, slid into second place. The top score, based on 176,000 interviews about health, finances, relationships, community, and purpose, fell from 70 out of 100 in 2013 to the mid-60s. Here's how other states fared: Alaska: 64.7 Hawaii: 64.5 South Dakota: 64.3 Wyoming: 63.9 Montana: 63.7 The unhappiest states: West Virginia: 59 Kentucky: 59.8 Indiana: 60 Ohio: 60.1 Mississippi: 60.2 Check out the full list or discover the world's happiest language.