Spatial differences in the level of happiness оf the population of different types of cities in the Stavropol krai

Abstract

This article examines the geographic aspects of happiness, specifically the development and use of a happiness index in the Stavropol Krai. The hypothesis was that happiness levels are directly related to strong economic performance. All urban settlements in the Krai were divided into groups using cluster analysis and confirmed using Zipf’s rank-size test, where the secondlargest city is half the size of the first, and the third-largest city is three times smaller. Three territories were studied: Stavropol, Pyatigorsk, and Ipatovo. An objective assessment of happiness levels was based on the analysis of available statistical indicators, including economic indicators: the share of small and medium-sized businesses; average wage; investment volume; total residential area per capita; average new housing construction per capita; and social characteristics such as population size. The subjective assessment was based on data from a sociological survey involving 419 people. Various data visualization tools were used throughout the study, facilitating the interpretation of results and the identification of spatial patterns. The study found no correlation between economic well-being and happiness. The data obtained may be useful for making informed local management decisions aimed at improving well-being and quality of life in the Stavropol Krai.