Poll: Pa., Del. and N.J. rank low with residents as best places to live; Montanans and Alaskans happiest

News about hopeful economic indicators this week is muted for many who were caught up in the disparity between the haves and the have nots. We focus on those Americans with Frank Newport, editor in chief of the Gallup Poll.

Listen to the interview for the full report.

Many Americans are living from paycheck to paycheck. How many are “living on the edge”? Turns about 1/4 say they don’t have enough to get by and have a poor financial situation.

How many American workers are living on the brink of financial disaster? Four in 10 U.S. workers say they could go no more than a month before experiencing financial hardship if they lost their job. However, relatively few workers, 16 percent, think it is likely they would lose their job.

And retirement — how confident are Americans that they will be able to save up enough money for retirement? Half of American workers fear not. And those between 50 and 64 are the most worried. 

Finally, we ask Americans in each state of the union: Is this the best state to live in, the worse state to live in, or somewhere in between? The winners are Montana and Alaska; the losers, Rhode Island and Illinois.

So where does that leave Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey? Some fascinating insights: People in cold-weather states with low populations tend to love their states. People in more crowded states are not so sure.