Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/210959 
Year of Publication: 
2019
Series/Report no.: 
Discussion Papers No. 907
Publisher: 
Statistics Norway, Research Department, Oslo
Abstract: 
This paper attempts to explain why large cities tend to score low on indices of happiness/life satisfaction, while at the same time experiencing population growth. Using Norwegian survey and register data, we show that different population segments are behind these seemingly contradictory attributes of large cities. A minority of highly mobile citizens are satisfied with life in Norway's biggest city, Oslo, and exhibits positive net in-migration to the city. A majority of less mobile groups are dissatisfied and tend to move out of Oslo, but these flows are too small to determine the overall migration pattern. Our results indicate that the Rosen-Roback framework for analysis of regional quality of life, which builds on the assumption of perfect mobility, is appropriate only for the most mobile segments of the population.
Subjects: 
Happiness
life satisfaction
quality of life
big cities
mobility
JEL: 
J17
R23
I31
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size
351.68 kB





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.