China’s Happiness in the New Century, 2003–2021

Jinyang Yang () and Ziyi Yang ()
Additional contact information
Jinyang Yang: Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Ziyi Yang: Huazhong University of Science and Technology

Journal of Happiness Studies, 2025, vol. 26, issue 7, No 14, 31 pages

Abstract: Abstract This study updates the evidence regarding the income-happiness relationship in China over the past two decades. Using national representative data from the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) waves 2003–2021, the study reveals a substantial increase in average happiness alongside steady real income growth. Income growth contributes to approximately 28% of rural residents’ happiness improvement and 22% of that of urban residents during this period. We find the correlation of income with happiness is positive and robust when examined using both regional aggregate data and individual data, in both long-term and short-term analysis. However, the importance of income in influencing happiness declines constantly over time, in terms of both the gradient and the predictive power. The trend is common for subgroups divided by income level, gender, and urban-rural residency. Non-economic factors like education and marriage become increasingly important. Furthermore, the study finds a negligible correlation between local average income and happiness and highlights the persistent urban-rural happiness gap.

Keywords: Subjective well-being; Income; Economic growth; Easterlin paradox; Random forest; Machine learning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H0 I30 J10 O10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10902-025-00955-8 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:26:y:2025:i:7:d:10.1007_s10902-025-00955-8

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer. ... fe/journal/10902/PS2

DOI: 10.1007/s10902-025-00955-8

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Happiness Studies is currently edited by Antonella Delle Fave

More articles in Journal of Happiness Studies from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().