As Canadian Cities Grow, Survey Finds Happiest Canadians are in Smaller Communities

The happiest 20 percent of Canadians lived in areas that were on average eight times less dense than the 20 percent of Canadians who were the least happy, according to a study from Vancouver School of Economics at the University of British Columbia and McGill University.

Why are they happier? "Their findings included reasons such as shorter commute times, cheaper housing, a less transient population, a greater overall sense of community, and a 'sense of belonging,'" the Daily Hive, reports. These findings about the relative happiness of Canadians living in smaller communities comes in spite of lower employment rates in rural areas and lower incomes.