Urban or Rural: Where are people happier and why?

Abilio Henrique Berticelli de Freitas

doi:10.5209/pade.77764

Urban or Rural: Where are people happier and why?

Abilio Henrique Berticelli de Freitas Université de Montpellier https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6344-283X

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5209/pade.77764

Keywords: happiness economics, urban planning, subjective well-being

Abstract

Using data from a worldwide sample, we investigate how happy people look like and if these “happiness characteristics” are more present in big urban towns or in small rural villages. We found evidence that (i) people seem to be slightly happier in rural settlements, (ii) happier people have some particular characteristics (e.g., higher levels of trust in others and being more interested in politics) and (iii) these positive attitudes are slightly more present in rural contexts. Then, we discuss some conceivable explanations to what we have seen.

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2021-12-22

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Berticelli de Freitas A. H. (2021). Urban or Rural: Where are people happier and why?. Papeles de Europa, 34, 17-28. https://doi.org/10.5209/pade.77764

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Urban or Rural: Where are people happier and why?

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