People are happier in states that spend more money on public places like parks and libraries
A new study published in the journal Social Science Research finds that people in the United States report greater levels of happiness in states that spend more money on public goods such as parks, libraries, infrastructure, and public safety. The author, Patrick Flavin, notes that the happiness boost from public-goods spending is roughly the same across a wide range of demographic variables: race, income, education, etc. suggesting public spending on categories accessible to everyone has an effect on the well-being of everyone.