California cities often rank among the highest in the nation when it comes to happiness. I shared some of the research that could help explain why in an interview with reporter Gianna Melillo from The Hill. Countries like Finland and Denmark, which consistently top the World Happiness Report, offer great insight into this question. Some of the contributing systemic factors to happiness in these countries are:
- High standard of living (large middle class)
- Low crime
- Clean environment where people can easily enjoy nature
- Strong education system and universal health care
- Generous parental leave and vacation time
- High levels of trust in institutions
- Shared values of cooperation and fortitude
To learn more, I highly recommend you check out Gianna’s story