Timaru has been named the happiest region in a nationwide survey on happiness, joining Oamaru, Northland and Taranaki in the happy stakes.

The report found overall happiness is fluctuating more this year, with the highest point occurring in September 2011. Women are happier than men, although the difference between them appears to be closing.

If you are retired or a homemaker, you are in the happiest of occupations.

Ethnically, Pacific Islanders and Maori are the happiest; home-owners with no mortgage are happier than those who do have a mortgage or are renting; widows, widowers and married people are happier than the divorced and single; and those living without children are happier than those living with children.

The research was part of the UMR Research nationwide omnibus survey – a fortnightly telephone poll of a nationally representative sample of 750 New Zealanders aged over 18. More than 26,000 responses were collected between June and December 2010.

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