Americans maintain happiness quotient, despite economy

It stands to reason that a tight financial market would result in more unhappy people, but the belief that money cannot buy happiness gained some traction today with the release of a study by Harris Interactive Inc. of Rochester, N.Y. In a Harris Poll that surveyed 2,401 U.S. adults online April 13-21, 35% of respondents said they were “very happy” — the same percentage as a year ago. And higher incomes did not necessarily raise happiness levels, the survey found. In fact, 39% of those earning between $50,000 and $74,999 reported being “‘very happy,” compared with 36% of those with incomes of $75,000 and above. Still, 67% of those polled said they worry frequently about their financial situation, up from 65% last year.