The determinants and structure of happiness in different urban environments

Abstract

Population aging has become one of the most urgent social issues in developed countries. However, its impact on the well-being of the population is understudied. In this study, we analysed happiness as one of the key components of well-being. The differences in the determinants and structures of happiness in municipalities with urban environments characterised by varying degrees of progress of problems related to population aging are studied. It was revealed that indicators related to subjective personal assessments of social stability and future aspirations influence happiness more than socioeconomic and demographic indicators or the indicators of the urban environment. Three factors (‘Socioeconomic stability’, ‘A sense of decline’ and ‘Residential satisfaction’) defined by various indicators contribute to the structure of happiness. ‘Socioeconomic stability’, related to subjective feelings and assessments of social aspects of life, was confirmed to be the strongest determinant in all types. Still, the impact of ‘Residential satisfaction’ is also significant and notable. The results demonstrate some differences in the determinants of happiness and thus suggest different policies would be appropriate to improve happiness in different types. For example, some areas need to develop infrastructure that is more suited to the needs of their population, whereas creating challenging jobs appears to be the priority in others.

Keywords

• Well-being
• happiness
• liveability
• population aging
• urban aging problems
• municipality typology