Spatial variations in contributors to life satisfaction: An Australian case study

Abstract

What people consider important, and how these factors contribute to their self-reported life satisfaction (LS), varies significantly across regions. Here, we analyse for the first time how LS varies across space and what factors best explain LS at different locations. Geographically weighted regressions (GWR) were used to analyse the relationship between LS and seventeen objective variables across Australia. We find that contributors to LS vary considerably but individuals living in relative proximity to each other share similar perspectives. Taking into account the spatially explicit heterogeneity of a population allows for the assessment of federal policies at local or regional levels, increasing the likelihood that their impacts will be consistent with the original intent. It also enables the perspectives of the diversity of cultures within a nation to be better understood.