According to a recent study, the city with the most content residents in the United States is Lincoln, Neb. The city with the most miserable residents is Charleston, W.Va.

The Gallup–Healthways Well-Being Index, which has surveyed 1.7 million Americans since it was first conducted in 2008, measures the physical and emotional health of residents in 189 of the nation’s largest metropolitan regions. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the scores of each metro area in the six categories that comprise Gallup’s index to identify the cities that did best and worst.

Click here to see the 10 most content cities

Click here to see the 10 most miserable cities

Generally, people in cities with high well-being reported higher scores in most areas. Residents had low obesity and high energy levels. They also smoked less and engaged in more exercise. In the cities with poor well-being, residents were more likely to report being sad and experiencing health problems that kept them from their usual daily activities.

For the most part, the cities with the highest levels of well-being had median household income considerably above the national median, including Washington, D.C., at $86,680 — the highest in the nation. All but one of the areas with the lowest levels of well-being had higher poverty rates than 15.9%, the national average.

High educational attainment also appeared to have an impact on the cities where residents were content. Most of the metro areas with the highest well-being also had a high percentage of residents with at least a bachelor’s degree. In five of these areas, more than 40% of residents aged 25 and over had their bachelor’s. In Boulder, 59.1% of people had a bachelor’s degree, versus 28.5% nationwide. On the other hand, educational attainment was low in many of the metro areas with the lowest well-being.

In an interview with 24/7 Wall St., Dan Witters, research director for the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, explained: “When you have highly educated residents, that works towards your well being in a lot of ways.” He added that having an educated population improves the quality of jobs available and the likelihood of healthy decisions.

Not surprisingly, residents in the cities doing best also are surrounded by opportunities to learn. According to Witters, “Learning and being engaged by interesting, new ideas is critical for most people.” This tends to be high in college towns, “which is why college towns tend to have high well-being.” A review of these cities shows many to be college towns, with Ann Arbor, Boulder and Burlington, all home to their states’ flagship public universities.

Witters explained that observing healthy behavior is generally better in college towns. People see the dentist more often, exercise more and are generally more aware of healthy behaviors because colleges promote them. They also encourage exercise, as “colleges and universities will put up fitness centers that can be available not just to the student body, but to people in the community.”

24/7 Wall St. reviewed all metropolitan areas assessed by the Gallup-Healthways 2012 Well-Being Index. This index calculates well-being for the United States, as well as for states, metropolitan areas and occupations. Scores range from 0 to 100, with 100 representing ideal well-being. The index is composed of six sub-indices that measure access to basic needs, healthy behavior, work environment, physical health, life evaluation and emotional health. 24/7 Wall St. also considered income, poverty and educational attainment figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, all from 2011. From the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we reviewed local unemployment rates as of January 2013. These are preliminary and not seasonally adjusted. We also considered violent crime rates for 2011 by state from the FBI Uniform Crime Report Program.

These are America’s most content and miserable cities.

America’s Most Content Cities

10. San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, Calif.
> Well-being index score: 71.2
> Obesity: 18.1%
> Median household income: $54,195
> Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 89.6%

Residents of the San Luis Obispo area reported among the highest scores for emotional health. Those surveyed were the least likely to report that they were angry or depressed within the past day. Residents received high marks for practicing healthy behavior as well, with more than 91% claiming they did not smoke. Additionally, around San Luis Obispo the unemployment rate was only 7.5%, which is lower than more than two-thirds of metro areas. Employees largely enjoyed their work environments, and they were the most likely residents of any metro area to claim they felt treated like partners by their supervisors. One of the largest employers in the region is Cal Polytec.

Also Read: The Most (and Least) Satisfied Professions

9. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C.-Va.-Md.-W.Va 
> Well-being index score: 71.3
> Obesity: 21.7%
> Median household income: $86,680
> Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 90.4%

With a population of nearly 5.5 million, the Washington, D.C., area is by far the largest metropolitan area with the highest well-being. Residents were among the most likely to report high satisfaction for their current lives and how they expected their lives to be in five years. Because the federal government and accompanying interest groups and lobbyists operate there, the area is home to many highly skilled and well-paid workers. The Washington metro area had the highest median income in the nation in 2011, at $86,680.

8. Ann Arbor, Mich.
> Well-being index score: 71.4
> Obesity: 25.8%
> Median household income: $56,612
> Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 94.2%

Residents of Ann Arbor had higher self-evaluations of their lives than any other major metro area in the country. More than two-thirds of the city’s residents were described by Gallup as “thriving” — the highest proportion of any metro area in the nation. The city also scored well for access to basic needs. Ann Arbor residents were among the least likely to say they struggled to afford food or shelter, and among the most likely to say they had health insurance. Ann Arbor is home to the University of Michigan, the area’s largest employer. Pay for the average full professor employed year-round at the school is more than $205,000 for the 2012-2013 fiscal year.

7. Honolulu, Hawaii
> Well-being index score: 71.5
> Obesity: 24.3%
> Median household income: $66,146
> Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 90.6%

More than 91% of area residents surveyed by Gallup had health insurance, among the highest proportions in the nation. Contributing to this is the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act, enacted in 1974, which requires most employers to provide coverage to regular, non-minimum wage workers. But having to offer coverage has not stopped employers in the area from hiring. The area’s unemployment rate was among the nation’s lowest, at 4.8% in January. Honolulu residents topped the nation for emotional health, and they were among the most likely Americans to say they felt respected and stress-free in the past day.

6. Barnstable Town, Mass.
> Well-being index score: 71.5
> Obesity: 18.5%
> Median household income: $56,699
> Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 94.6%

The Barnstable Town metro area includes the entirety of Cape Cod, a popular travel and vacation destination. It has high scores for well-being, in part due to residents’ opinions of their jobs. According to Gallup, the area received the second highest overall score for the quality of its work environments, with those surveyed especially likely to say they used their strengths at work. In addition, residents were likely to practice healthy behavior by exercising regularly and eating a proper diet of fruits and vegetables.

5. Fort Collins-Loveland, Colo.
> Well-being index score: 71.6
> Obesity: 16.5%
> Median household income: $55,219
> Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 94.5%

As many as 94.1% of Fort Collins respondents said they were satisfied with their city, tied for the highest in the nation. Those surveyed also rated their work environments well, with residents evaluating their workplace fifth best out of the 189 metro areas surveyed. Many people in the area work for Colorado State University, the largest employer in the city of Fort Collins. The area also ranked as one of the nation’s most well-educated. More than 94% of residents earned at least a high school diploma, and 42.8% had at least a bachelor’s degree.

Also Read: The Seven States Running Out of Water

4. Provo-Orem, Utah
> Well-being index score: 71.7
> Obesity: 19.6%
> Median household income: $58,398
> Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 92.9%

Provo is home to Brigham Young University, one of the largest private, not-for-profit universities in the country. The university was also the area’s largest employer as of 2012, according to the Economic Development Corporation of Utah, and one of the largest in the state. Important to their well-being, Provo-Orem residents were among the most likely to enjoy where they worked. Residents also were likely to report that they had learned something new and were happy within the past day. As many as 77% of those surveyed noted their city was getting better, versus just 59.1% of respondents nationwide.

3. Burlington-South Burlington, Vt.
> Well-being index score: 72.4
> Obesity: 18.7%
> Median household income: $60,771
> Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 93.7%

At 95.9%, more Burlington residents reported health insurance coverage than any other area in the country. Residents also were rated second healthiest among the 189 metro areas, according to Gallup’s physical health index. Like most of the cities with the highest well-being, higher education plays a larger part in the local economy; the University of Vermont is one the area’s largest employers.

2. Boulder, Colo.
> Well-being index score: 72.7
> Obesity: 12.5%
> Median household income: $68,637
> Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 93.7%

Boulder residents were among the nation’s best at practicing healthy behaviors. They were among the least likely respondents to smoke and among the most likely to eat healthy all day. Likely because of this, residents scored well for physical health as well. In Boulder, 85.6% of residents had no health problems preventing them from age-appropriate activities — the third highest rate in the nation. Every year the city hosts BolderBoulder, a 10K race that had more than 50,000 participants in 2012.

1. Lincoln, Neb.
> Well-being index score: 72.8
> Obesity: 25.8%
> Median household income: $49,315
> Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 93.7%

Lincoln is the top ranked metro area in the nation on Gallup’s well-being index. As of January, 4.2% of all workers in the area were unemployed, less than all but three other metropolitan areas. Residents were also the most likely Americans nationwide to enjoy their work environment. More than 94% of survey respondents were satisfied with their job and work, almost 68% felt treated like a partner at work and nearly 86% felt they worked in a trusting environment — all among the highest figures in the country. Nearly 76% of those surveyed believe the city is becoming a better place, the fourth highest rate in the nation.

Also Read: America’s Most Miserable Cities

America’s Most Miserable Cities

10. Spartanburg, S.C.
> Well-being index score: 63.4
> Obesity: 26.7%
> Median household income: $40,167
> Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 81.8%

Spartanburg residents had among the lowest well-being scores in the nation, according to Gallup. Relative to the rest of the United States, they were far more likely to have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, to have been diagnosed with diabetes or cancer, or have a heart attack. Nearly 51% of residents were classified by Gallup as “suffering,” while just 45.8% were qualified as “thriving,” one of the lowest figures in the country. In the area, median household income was $40,167, more than $10,000 lower than the national median. Many residents lacked the education necessary to earn higher incomes. In Spartanburg, less than 21% of residents have a college degree, versus 28.5% of all Americans.

Also Read: America’s Happiest (and Most Miserable) States

9. Rockford, Ill.
> Well-being index score: 63.1
> Obesity: 28.8%
> Median household income: $45,191
> Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 86.4%

Rockford rates as one of the worst metro areas in the nation on Gallup’s emotional health index. Area respondents were among the most likely to have said they were disrespected, stressed and angry within the past day. Additionally, just 70.2% of residents were satisfied with their city, and only 38% thought Rockford was improving — both among the worst figures in the United States. With 706.5 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in 2011, Rockford was one of the most dangerous places in the country. Among the most prevalent violent crimes, relative to the rest of the nation, were robbery and aggravated assault.

8. Evansville, Ind.-Ky.
> Well-being index score: 63.1
> Obesity: 29.3%
> Median household income: $46,721
> Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 89%

Only one metropolitan area, Lafayette, La., was rated by Gallup as having poorer healthy behavior than Evansville. The metro area had one of the highest rates of smokers and among the lowest percentages of residents who exercised regularly or ate healthy all day. Possibly because of these poor practices, the city receives low marks for physical health, with residents facing higher likelihoods of having high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Just 45.9% of residents were described by Gallup as “thriving.” After a year in which the unemployment rate declined substantially nationwide, it rose in Evansville by 0.7 percentage points to 8.4% over the 12 months ending in January.

7. Bakersfield, Calif.
> Well-being index score: 63.0
> Obesity: 29.6%
> Median household income: $45,224
> Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 72.8%

As of January, Bakersfield had one of the nation’s highest unemployment rates, at 14.1%. With an extremely weak job market, many people struggled with access to basic necessities. Respondents also were far more likely than most Americans to say they lacked the money they needed to buy food, afford adequate shelter or ensure proper health care. According to Gallup, nearly 30% of residents polled had no health insurance, one of the highest rates in the nation. According to the Census Bureau, 24.5% of the area’s population lived below the poverty line in 2011, one of the highest rates in the country.

6. Fort Smith, Ark.-Okla.
> Well-being index score: 62.9
> Obesity: 28.9%
> Median household income: $35,965
> Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 82.8%

According to the Census Bureau, the median household income in the Fort Smith metro area was $35,965 in 2011 — one of just 15 metro areas with a median figure below $36,000. One reason for this may have been the limited education of many residents. As of 2011, only 15.7% of adults had at least a bachelor’s degree, among the lower figures in the nation and well below the 28.5% nationwide. But while many residents of Fort Smith lack a college education, they also are surprisingly more likely to enjoy their jobs. More than 91% of residents were satisfied with their work, and nearly 88% feel they work in a trusting environment, among the highest proportions in the country. Fort Smith is one of the worst metro areas for almost all major factors considered by Gallup, but ranks as one of the highest for quality of residents’ work environments.

5. Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, N.C.
> Well-being index score: 62.7
> Obesity: 32.1%
> Median household income: $38,923
> Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 79.0%

Nowhere else in the nation did people have as negative an evaluation of their lives as in the Hickory metro area. A major reason was that survey respondents living there were less optimistic about their life in five years than respondents in almost all other parts of the country. Hickory residents also were rated poorly for emotional health, with survey respondents telling Gallup they felt sad or depressed more often than in almost all other metro areas. As of January, the Hickory metro area had an 11.5% unemployment rate, among the higher rates in the country. Many residents lacked the formal education necessary to work in higher paying jobs. Just 79% of residents had at least a high school diploma, and 18.2% at least a bachelor’s degree, versus 85.9% and 28.5%, nationwide.

Also Read: States with the Highest (and Lowest) Taxes

4. Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas
> Well-being index score: 62.5
> Obesity: 32.5%
> Median household income: $43,176
> Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 84.1%

Some 75.3% of residents in the Beaumont area were satisfied with the city, one of the lowest figures in the nation. Among their concerns, less than 60% of residents felt safe going out at night. One possible reason is that, as of 2011, the area had a high crime rate — at 545.9 violent crimes per 100,000 people. That was well above the U.S. benchmark of 386.3 per 100,000. Additionally, just 15.7% of all residents from the Beaumont-Port Arthur area have a college degree, versus 28.5% across the United States. This likely prevents many workers from getting jobs that appeal to their strengths and satisfy them. Only people in one area nationwide, Fayetteville, N.C., gave their work environments lower ratings.

3. Mobile, Ala.
> Well-being index score: 62.4
> Obesity: 33.7%
> Median household income: $42,372
> Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 83.8%

The area was ranked as one of the worst in the nation for both emotional and physical health. Respondents to Gallup’s survey from the area were more likely to say they were sad, angry, worried or depressed than those in nearly all other metro areas. Just 74% of residents had no health problems that prevented them from age-appropriate activities, while just under 65% were well rested the day before, both among the lower proportions in the country. In addition to poor health, Mobile had one of the nation’s higher crime rates in 2011, at 608.2 crimes per 100,000 residents, compared to 386.3 crimes per 100,000 nationwide. Worse, Mobile had 11.3 murders per 100,000 people that year, the 10th highest figure of any metro area in the country.

2. Huntington-Ashland, W.Va.-Ky.-Ohio
> Well-being index score: 61.2
> Obesity: 37.7%
> Median household income: $36,894
> Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 83.7%

The Huntington area rates as one of the nation’s worst metropolitan areas for healthy behavior and emotional health, as well as the single worst for physical health. In addition to infrequent exercise, residents also worried and stressed more than nearly all other Americans. Among survey respondents from the area, just 77% told Gallup they had enough energy to do the things they wanted to, while only about two-thirds could participate in age-appropriate physical activities — both among the worst figures in the United States. In 2011, the area’s median household income was $36,894, while 19.9% of people lived below the poverty line, both considerably worse than figures for the nation overall.

1. Charleston, W.Va.
> Well-being index score: 60.8
> Obesity: 32.9%
> Median household income: $40,990
> Adult population with high school diploma or higher: 85.5%

Charleston was the worst performing metro area on Gallup’s well-being index for 2012. The area scored lower for emotional health than anywhere else in the U.S., with residents among the most likely to report they were stressed, angry, sad and worried. Additionally, only the Huntington metro area received a lower score for physical health. Charleston residents reported the highest rate of smoking and the worst access to a safe place to exercise, which may contribute to the fact that it is the second-most obese metro area in the nation.

Also Read: America’s Most Content Cities

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