The effects of population density on subjective well-being: A case-study of Slovakia

Abstract The main objective of the study is to examine the effects of population density on individuals’ subjective well-being (SWB). The physical characteristics of the built environment have recently received more attention regarding their role in influencing well-being. The research is based on two waves of a representative survey EU-SILC (2013: N = 12,791 and 2018: N = 14,665). The study focuses on the emotional domain of SWB and uses a score based on the Mental Health Inventory (MHI-5). In order to remove the potential problem of reverse causality, a two-stage least squares regression model with instrumental variables is used. It shows that population density positively affects the SWB score. The results reported in this study can be useful for urban planning aimed at optimizing spatial structure while taking into account the factors which positively affect subjective well-being. The findings can also be beneficial for assessing the resilience and vulnerability of cities.