REVEALED: The happiest – and unhappiest – electorate in Queensland

Queensland itself has been ranked as the third lowest average wellbeing score for states with 75.3, ahead of just New South Wales on 75.1 and Western Australia on 75. But our score is just 0.8 off Tasmania, which posted the highest in Australia.

Wide Bay has been revealed as the Queensland suburb with the highest personal wellbeing score across the state, according to the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index.

Published in late July, the Index found there was “little difference in life satisfaction between states”, but a sense of personal wellbeing “could be affected by the electorate in which you live”.

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Queensland ranked as the third lowest average wellbeing score for states with 75.3, ahead of just New South Wales on 75.1 and Western Australia on 75, but just 0.8 off Tasmania, which posted the highest score of 76.1.

“Whether it’s Tasmania’s windswept coastline, Western Australia’s rugged remote outback or the inner cities of Melbourne or Sydney, the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index has found there is little difference in life satisfaction between states,” the study summary said.

A deeper dive into the study revealed Wide Bay as the highest personal wellbeing score per electorate across Queensland, with a score of 77.5, a figure which also came in the top six electorates in Australia.

Maranoa came in second for Queensland electorates on 77.47, followed by Ryan on 76.88.

On the flip side Rankin ranked as the Queensland electorate with the lowest personal wellbeing score with 74.04, just ahead of Oxley on 74.06.

The study said Queensland tied with NSW to record Australia’s lowest scores for the domains of standard of living (77.7) and achieving in life (73.0), but was one of just three states to record more electorates above the average range than below.

Brooke Alford, Tash Chandler and Yolanda Antonacci enjoying a day out at the Gympie races. Photos: Josh Preston

Gympie resident Eden Williams said it was no surprise to hear Wide Bay had fared so well in the study results.

“The main things I love about living here are the community and the friendly faces,” Ms Williams said.

“It’s one of the best places you can live, it’s why I chose to live here.

“People are friendly here, it feels safe. It’s nice to walk down the street and smile at someone and have them smile back, instead of looking at you like you’re crazy.

“I love living in Gympie and in Wide Bay.”

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Research for the index showed electorates above the average range of wellbeing were mostly in regional areas, like the Wide Bay.