(whistling happy tune)
- The world is pretty evenly divided.
Those that live in rural areas,
and those that live in cities.
But how do people decide which of these two
will be the right fit for them, and make them happy?
Can a place even make you happy?
I dove into research to see who's happier.
This study says that rural people are less depressed.
But then this book shows how cities make people happier.
Then again, this study concludes rural dwellers
are actually happier.
So what's the truth?
We asked people in Los Angeles about their happiness.
Well we're here on the streets of Los Angeles,
the big city, talking to people about happiness.
First question, are you happy?
(laughter)
- I mean, I feel like I'm not that happy
when I'm in the city.
- Well, I'm actually moving,
'cause I'm kinda not happy here.
- Are you happy? - Very happy.
- You're very happy. - I am.
- Are you happy?
- Sometimes,
I wouldn't say all the time.
Sometimes.
- So after those mixed answers,
we headed out to the country,
stopping at the Halfway House Cafe
for good old fashioned food and a chat about happiness.
So I'm here with Sandy. - Hello.
- Are you from around here?
- Yes. I've lived here for 30 years.
- Sandy, are you happy?
- Yes. - Well there you have it.
- Are you happy?
- Absolutely. - Yeah?
- Absolutely.
It's a great area, great place to be.
- Are you happy?
- Yeah. - Oh great.
- Yeah, I'm happy.
- The rural people did seem happier,
but was their happiness actually connected
to living in the country?
We asked some of the same people
if they thought location affected their happiness.
- Do you have a lot of hometown pride?
- Yeah, I do.
- I went to school here, my kid went to school here.
Yeah, I know all these people.
Yeah, this is my life, this is my town.
- Do you feel like you'd be happier in a rural environment?
- I like the country,
but the city bring everything.
You can go to the country, but not to leave the--
- I don't really like going to the city at all.
- What things make you happy, do you think?
- I do a lot of exercise, outdoors.
So I mean, it just helps me relax,
and I feel like those things make me happy.
- So, it's not really a debate between
rural and city life.
People that are happy are often
just a match to their homes.
This actually makes sense,
because the Gallup Healthways Well-Being Index
has liking where you live
as one of the five main indexors
for overall wellbeing.
So if you like where you live,
you could be one step closer to happiness.
(whoosh)
(upbeat piano)
(scream)