Happy Citizen Design

Towards a New Metric for Measuring Urban happiness

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62161/sauc.v12.6218

Keywords:

Urban happiness, Social cohesion, Well-being, Public space, Urban index

Abstract

Global happiness rankings often rely on national-scale, perception-based surveys that fail to capture the true quality of urban life. This article introduces a new metric the Urban Happiness Index based on the Hexagon of Happiness model, which includes six urban dimensions: prosperity, social cohesion, civic pride, public space, safety, and environmental sustainability. Using data from 175 global cities, the study cross-references this model with suicide and depression rates to mitigate perception bias. Findings suggest that the happiest cities are also the most attractive to talent, offering valuable insights for urban planning and policy design.

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References

Adams, R., & Cohen, B. (2017). The Happy Cities Hexagon: A framework for measuring urban well-being. Happy Citizen Design. https://www.happycitizendesign.com/

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Published

2026-09-03

How to Cite

Ondiviela García, J. A., López Fernández , A., & Mateo López, J. (2026). Happy Citizen Design: Towards a New Metric for Measuring Urban happiness. Street Art & Urban Creativity, 12(5), 65–82. https://doi.org/10.62161/sauc.v12.6218

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 5 (2026)

Section

Research articles

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