According to a newly released happiness-index of Canadian cities, Prince George made the list of the 10 happiest cities in the province and 56th happiest city in the country.
Real estate company Point2 wanted to determine the level of happiness of the largest 100 cities in Canada so it analyzed 30 happiness related metrics using 2021 Statistics Canada data to create a happiness index.
From median after-tax income, poverty rate, perceived health, and a sense of belonging to the simplest practical factors like commute time, rainfall and air quality, the company split the metrics across four happiness-relevant dimensions: Economy and Real Estate; Location and Demographics; Health and Wellbeing; and Community and Environment.
However, the study found no absolute happiness as the data revealed none of the largest cities in Canada ranked high in each and every happiness metric that would get them a “maximum happiness” index of 100.
The happiest city on the list was Caledon, ON with a happy index of 67 out of a maximum of 100.
Prince George ranked 56th overall with a 48.25 score on the happy index. B.C.’s northern capital ranked 21st for economy and real estate, 94th for location and demographics, 78th for health wellbeing, and 19th for community environment.
The report found that 84 per cent of Prince George residents are happy to spend less than 30 per cent of their income on housing.
In B.C., North Vancouver was ranked with the highest happiness index coming in with a score of 60.76 but was the eight happiest city in Canada as enjoying a $106,000 median after-tax household income — that's $33,000 above the national median reported by StatCan.
The second and third happiest cities in B.C. are Port Coquitlam at 58.28. and Langley at 57.56.
Those who live in B.C. have to deal with fewer working hours than in other provinces, with the exception of Québec.
But all in all, the report found that B.C. cities fall somewhere in the middle when it comes to multiple metrics that might contribute to one's happiness living in the province.
For instance, all B.C. cities analyzed boast unemployment rates of less than 10 per cent and poverty rates below 15 per cent.
Around 60 per cent of their population reported that they are in very good or excellent health with less than 25 per cent perceiving everyday life as quite a bit or extremely stressful.
You can look at the full report on Point2’s website.
