Source: Science Daily
A new study published in Social Science Research found that American individuals and families are happier when living in places that have more public resources.
The study from researchers at Baylor University specifically pointed to libraries, parks and highways as indicators of a general increase in happiness among residents. The study analyzed self-reported data on American’s happiness from 1976 to 2006.
“If roads are completed and kept up, so that people aren’t stuck in traffic, they have more time to do things they enjoy doing. Large parks are social spaces — and one clear finding of happiness studies is that people who are more socially connected tend to be happier,” said lead researcher Patrick Flavin, as reported in Science Daily.
Additionally, having more public resources boosts the value of homes, boosts education, and provides benefits across all ethnicities and genders.
Researchers noted that there is not necessarily a “cause-and-effect” relationship between happiness and having access to public goods, but there is generally enough data to support the idea that people who live in regions with more public resources are generally happier.
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