WASHINGTON (AP) - Researchers who study how people's sense of well-being varies from place to place have found the happiest places sometimes also have the highest suicide rates.
Researchers suggest that living around people who are, on average, pretty satisfied with their lives, can make those who are unsatisfied even more miserable.
And while the research also suggests that those surrounded by unhappy people may not feel so bad for themselves, researchers caution against concluding that misery really does love company.
The study ranks Utah as the No. 1 state for residents' sense of well-being, but it also scored a high No. 9 in suicide rate. By contrast New York State ranked a low 45th in well-being, but an even lower 50th in suicides.
The researchers used a federal survey of behavioral risk factors and census numbers on suicide rates.