THE GEOGRAPHY OF WELL-BEING IN ITALY

AN EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS

Abstract

This research explores the geographic distribution of well-being within Italy. Prior studies extensively analysed the correlation between well-being and a range of heterogeneous life domains (wealth and work conditions, health and personality, education. etc.) at national level. The present study aimed to extend previous work by adopting a regional level of analysis and demonstrating that the geographic distribution of objective well-being does not correspond with that of subjective well-being, measured in terms of life satisfaction. The results also suggest that some life domains (i.e. population density, air quality) generally considered determinants of national well-being. seem not to have any impact on the regional perception of well-being and also that some partially still unexplored life domains such as the social relationships or the levels of “civicness” have a prominent role in drawing the geography of subjective well-being in Italy.