In searching for happiness, marriage is more important than money, according to a December 2006 Gallup poll.

According to a Gallup news release, "Those who are married at any income level are as likely (if not more likely) to report being happy than even the wealthiest people who are not married." Put simply, marriage matters more than money when it comes to happiness.

The poll of more than 1,000 adults found that 84 percent of Americans are satisfied with their personal lives—a stark contrast with the only 30 percent who are satisfied with how things are going in the country.

Not surprisingly, those with higher incomes were more satisfied and happier than those with lower incomes, and those who were married reported greater happiness at all income levels.

The primary ingredient in American adults' personal happiness showed that those who were married were happier than those who were not, regardless of their income. The Supreme Being who created marital and family relationships tells us that it is a good thing for a man to find a wife. "He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor [a delight and blessing] from the Lord" (Proverbs 18:22). (Source: Gallup News Service.)