Munich (dpa / lby) – People in Bavaria are not as happy as they were before the corona pandemic. The trend is upwards. However, new crises such as inflation or the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine are slowing down the recovery, according to the new “Happiness Atlas” presented by the University of Freiburg and the Süddeutsche Klassenlotterie (SKL) on Tuesday. With a happiness index of 7.06, the Free State ranks second nationwide for life satisfaction, behind leader Schleswig-Holstein (7.14). On a scale from 0 (completely dissatisfied) to 10 (completely satisfied), the average happiness index in Germany is 6.86.
According to the researchers, Bavaria is the “lucky country number two”, explaining: “Many young, well-educated residents with a good income, young families and a good economic structure contribute to this.” Even during the Corona crisis, satisfaction was on average higher here than in many other regions. But there are differences. Lower Bavaria is the leader with a happiness index of 7.26, followed by southern Bavaria (7.13). In contrast, the people in the Upper Palatinate (6.95) and in Franconia (6.94) are significantly more dissatisfied. And people in the countryside are a little happier than people in Munich or Nuremberg.
The study justifies the good performance with the higher net household income in Bavaria, among other things. However, there are problems in the lower income bracket. The scientists refer in particular to the immensely high housing costs. The new financial pressure is slowing down the recovery in life satisfaction in 2022.
According to the experts, what definitely has a positive effect in Bavaria is the general feeling of being culturally and economically different from others. This creates a sense of identity and connection. “The Bavarian “mia san mia” has a lucky component,” the researchers conclude.
