Somerville’s happiness quotient has been quantified, and it seems to be fairly happy. - Photo courtesy of D Sharon Pruitt

By Andrew Firestone

After months of data collection, and 6500 surveys completed through mail, Internet and phone, the city presented their findings on the “happiness survey” or well-being study that the city administration has undertaken. The mean life happiness score proved to be 7.5 out of 10, with the following demographics reporting. Mean life satisfaction, a different and more prescient form of happiness was placed at 7.7, and satisfaction for the city of Somerville was also at 7.7.

Factors the city study listed as part of their study for happiness with the city was the beauty or physical setting of the city, the quality of public schools, and the effectiveness of local police. The demographics of the survey compared to the population was as follows:

Age Group      Population       Sample

18-24                    16%                      3%

25-34                    36%                     24%

35-44                    16%                     21%

45-54                    12%                     19%

55-64                    9%                       15%

65-74                    5%                        9%

75 and older            5%                        8%
*

In all, Ward 1 was said to be the happiest, despite having the smallest representative population in the study, with a score of 8.8 reporting.

The biggest problem people in the city seemed to have was with parking, an obvious point for a densely packed city of officially 80,000, most likely more. The city also came away with  92 percent approval rating in terms of where the administration at City Hall is taking the city.

The survey used sophisticated questioning, championed by Harvard Professor Dan Gilbert, a psychologist who studies the overall satisfaction of populations. Gilbert, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, worked with members of SomerStat in City Hall to determine the correct methods of data dissemination.

The City has vowed to continue their study, and will expand into different languages and ethnic populations in the coming year. SomerStat began the study by qualifying that there was an over-representation of white people for the study.

The first study of its kind in an American city, the idea was influenced by British Prime Minister David Cameron, and his plans to invent a “happiness index” for the people of Great Britain.