LOL! Just perused the link - Springfield, MA, where I was born and still have family, is on the list. No surprise there!

I can't believe NYC on the list? I work and hang out there and everyone I see out in Manhattan in bars, sitting at sidewalk cafes or restaurants, sure don't look unhappy to me. No surprise there, either, they get to live in the most desirable city on the planet.

http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/neig ... me-rates/top100dangerous/

JC ain't that bad

I would also suggest the work culture in NYC and surrounding areas, including JC. There is a work at all costs mentality here - to the detriment of quality of life. Crazy work hours, plus long commutes. It is not this way in other parts of the country where I have lived. People are generally happier and less stressed when they have a better work/life balance.

I haven't read the full study yet, so I can't comment extensively on it. However, we should note that the survey data is a bit out of date. The BRFSS was conducted between 2005 and 2009; some of the other studies date back to the 80s and 90s. Parts of JC have changed significantly between 2005 and today.

That said, I'm not totally surprised. After all...
1) We have lots of poor people living in close proximity to some fairly wealthy people

2) The city is in transition, and I'm sure the people who feel like they're getting pushed out are not happy about it

3) Crime is a serious issue in many parts of JC

4) Housing is small, there isn't a lot of green space, and recreational areas are also a bit limited.

The bigger issue is whether the authors are seeing larger patterns in their research which might explain the results, and whether there are big differences in self-reported happiness in JC based on factors like income.

We should start a kickstarter to get Yvonne a tax abatement because council meetings would be 98% shorter

Quote:

These are all things you're always complaining about in JC. Obviously they stress you out. Maybe for your own health it's time for you to move.

According to JCList Jersey City is the 11th Ring of Hell. Sell your cars and buy yourselves some ponies.

'Regional income inequality' as a cause of unhappiness? I agree, I'm unhappy I'm not living in Malibu on the beach, or 15 Central Park West. With a jet to take me to my house in Aspen.

It is not who is happy or unhappy it is the amount of stress in one's life. Traffic, population density, crime and noise adds to that stress. Another is the unfair tax burden especially in Jersey City.

People from wealthy countries were generally happier than people from poor countries. No surprise there. But they also found that people from poor countries tended to view their lives as more meaningful.

The New Yorker

I personally think poor people or much happier than the rich.

I know this will come as a surprise, but I'm actually one of the happy ones. I assume the unhappy people are poor or something.

At any rate, I see a lot of legit rage on here and out and about in this city. Probably the combination of culture, proximity to NYC, large number of people in financial distress, the economy in general, population density and lack of access to real nature. Oh, and massive traffic everywhere in a city with mediocre public transport. Not a great combo.

People that are happy, keep that sh*t between you and your drug dealer, no one else cares.. Ha!

But seriously, I think happiness is a state of mind, I have decided to be happy a few years ago and I believe I am.

If I judge it by the way cars and pedestrians interact with each other and themselves, JC seems very unhappy to me. It's purely anecdotal but it's what I see.

Seeing the other thread on lack of recreation opps reminded me of this study which places Jersey City in the Top 10 Unhappiest Cities in the United States. They used survey data from a CDC study with nationally representative sampling.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140722103917.htm


So, are we really so unhappy?

Other studies have shown that regional unhappiness is associated with regional economic inequality - that makes sense to me when you see NYC is in this list also.

I wonder what else is influences this - population density? social comparison? crime? availability of recreational opportunities? education levels?



It's also interesting because other studies show that happiness is actaully an individual charactericti, you are either a happy person or an unhappy person, and will be so regardless of how your life circumstances change.