Spatial structure and subjective well-being in North-West Europe

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between regions’ spatial organization and subjective well-being in North-West Europe. Combining data on life satisfaction with data on the spatial structure of regions, we find that the degree of polycentricism is positively associated and dispersion is negatively associated with life satisfaction. At the same time, the results indicate that in more dispersed regions, people experience more positive effects of polycentric structures than in more centralized regions, while residents of more urbanized polycentric regions report lower levels of life satisfaction compared with residents of less urbanized polycentric regions. Likewise, the findings suggest that urban residents living in polycentric regions are less satisfied compared with their rural counterparts.