Lifestyle

In this municipality live the happiest people in the Netherlands

By Wieke Veenboer | #!31Fri, 04 Aug 2023 16:30:57 +0200+02:005731#31Fri, 04 Aug 2023 16:30:57 +0200+02:00-4Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam202331 04pm31pm-31Fri, 04 Aug 2023 16:30:57 +0200+02:004Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam2023312023Fri, 04 Aug 2023 16:30:57 +0200304308pmFriday=9#!31Fri, 04 Aug 2023 16:30:57 +0200+02:00Europe/Amsterdam8#08-04-2023#!31Fri, 04 Aug 2023 16:30:57 +0200+02:005731#/31Fri, 04 Aug 2023 16:30:57 +0200+02:00-4Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam202331#!31Fri, 04 Aug 2023 16:30:57 +0200+02:00Europe/Amsterdam8#

The Central Bureau of Statistics has conducted another amusing study: where in the Netherlands are the residents the happiest? This is measured based on a number of factors. Of course, income, wealth, and unemployment are taken into account, but they also looked at the number of cafés available (and the distances to them) and whether there is a lot or little nature in a residential area.

And yet I have my doubts about the results of this study. This is not because I myself am the happiest in Amsterdam, as I understand very well that not everyone wants to live in a busy city, but the municipality in question that ranks number one is located in the Bible Belt, and personally, that is not very high on my wishlist. But well, that is just my opinion; clearly, they find it perfectly fine to live in Dalfsen.

So that is the municipality, with about 30,000 residents, where people are the happiest in all of the Netherlands. Now, I happen to have a girlfriend who comes from there, but I have the impression that she became a lot happier when she moved to the Randstad. Maybe that was a wrong choice, because Overijssel ranks number one when it comes to the best provinces to live in — if you are to believe this study from the CBS.

Because number two, three, and four are also in Overijssel: Dinkeleiland, Raalte, and Staphorst. Only number five is in another province, namely in Drenthe: De Wolden.

Are there people from the municipality of Dalfsen (which, besides the eponymous village, also includes Nieuwleusen, Oudleusen, Hoonhorst, and Lemelerveld): can you confirm this? Maybe I should consider moving after all.