The Happiest Person in Estonia is a Woman Over 50 Living in the Countryside.
According to a study conducted by international housing developer Bonava, the happiest person in Estonia is a woman over 50 who is financially secure, in a committed relationship, and owns her own home. She lives in the countryside and has her own yard area.
The "Happy Neighborhood Study" is a project that Bonava started in 2017. Through it, people living in residential markets are asked what factors they value in their homes and neighborhoods.
The Happiness Index is a measure of neighborhood happiness created by Bonava that can be used to measure and compare residents' satisfaction and happiness in their living environment. On a 100-point scale, Swedes are most satisfied with their homes (81 points), while our Nordic neighbors, the Finns, have a corresponding score of 78. Estonians and Germans are equally satisfied with their homes (76 points).
The happiest neighbor in Estonia is a woman aged 35-49 who is financially secure and owns her own home. She has lived in her home for more than five years, has an outdoor area (terrace, balcony, or garden), and lives near a major city.
The responses revealed that people prefer to stay in familiar neighborhoods when choosing a home. 69% of respondents have lived in their current home for more than five years, and 75% of respondents have remained loyal to their neighborhood and lived there for over five years.
When asked what Estonians consider most important for creating a sense of home, 86% of respondents say it is the kitchen. Estonians consider the bathroom and bedroom almost equally important. However, when asked what they are most satisfied with in their current homes, it turns out to be ceiling height (73%). Respondents are also satisfied with the bedroom (68%), private outdoor space (67%), and the living room (66%). In their current homes, Estonian people feel that the kitchen is too small (34%) and there is not enough space in the bathroom (35%). What bothers people most about their homes is the overall condition of the home (36%), lack of character (27%), and interior design (24%).
According to Lauri Laanoja, a member of Bonava's board, their goal is to create happy neighborhoods where people enjoy living. "Complete living environments provide people with emotional satisfaction – creating opportunities for residents to interact with their neighbors and spend their free time. To find out what people expect from their homes, we conducted a population happiness study, and we take the knowledge gained from it into account when planning new homes," said Laanoja.
The results of the happiness study can be found here: https://happyquest2022.bonava.ee/.
