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ABSTRACT
China’s unprecedented economic growth has significantly improved the living standards of its citizens. Higher living standards, however, do not necessarily lead to greater happiness felt by the people. In this research, we present regional variations in self-reported happiness across Chinese cities based on a large scale, nationally representative survey. Further, we explore regional factors associated with the happiness of Chinese cities. Regression analysis identifies human capital as a negative predictor of residents’ happiness and population size as a positive predictor, findings notably distinct from comparable studies in the U.S. context. Other relevant regional factors include wage and some local public services.
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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
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Notes on contributors
Haifeng Qian
Haifeng Qian is an associate professor in the School of Planning & Public Affairs and Public Policy Center at the University of Iowa, where he teaches applied microeconomics, public policy analysis, economic development policy, and spatial data analysis. He has published over 30 articles in the areas of entrepreneurship, innovation, urban development, and science and technology policy. Dr. Qian is an editor of Small Business Economics and an associate editor of Economic Development Quarterly.
Qi Guo
Qi Guo is an associate professor in the School of Urban and Regional Science at the East China Normal University. Dr. Guo has published on various topics of urban and industrial studies, including agglomeration economies, industrial technological relatedness, and urban development.
Shaojie Zhou
Shaojie Zhou is an associate professor at the School of Public Policy and Management, Tsinghua University. Zhou’s research interests include development studies and policies, Chinese economy and international development and governance.
Yang Su
Yang Su is deputy editor-in-chief of the journal Management World. Su’s research interests include population, resource and environmental policies.