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Survey Finds $205K Salary Needed To Be Happy In Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — It may make some Angelenos unhappy to know just how much money is needed to be happy living in Los Angeles.

A survey by Purdue University and GoBankingRates.com found that a salary of almost $205,000 is necessary to be happy living in Los Angeles.

The research was seeking to pinpoint the amount of money where no longer changes a person's level of emotional well-being and their "life evaluation," or life satisfaction, which the authors say is "likely more influenced by higher goals and comparisons to others."

The study found that a salary of $204,855 was needed to be happy in Los Angeles. Happiness was found to be more within reach in neighboring Long Beach, where just $188,055 is needed, just above the $186,000 required in San Diego.

Further north, the study found Fresno to be most affordable in terms of reaching happiness at $113,000. But in San Francisco, researchers determined a salary of almost $320,000 was needed to be happy.

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