If you’re living in a smaller community in the north, chances are you’re a happy camper.
A UBC professor has found that rural communities are much happier than their counterparts in urban cities.
Vancouver’s School of Economics John Helliwell Co-Authored “How Happy Are Your Neighbours” which separated 1,200 communities to get a better reading on how happy they are.
He says most smaller areas tend to rank higher because of comfort.
“In the smaller communities, people have more time and opportunities to connect with each other on a continuing basis. They are more likely to know one another, more likely to trust each other and more likely to wave instead of giving the finger in traffic.”
Helliwell also found people have higher living expectations than rural towns.
“Typically, Income is higher in the city but people have less time to spend with their friends and family. When people make that kind of move they think of themselves as being happier as a consequence.”
He added cities can now use this information and see what smaller communities offer and introduce them on a bigger scale.
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