Life at the Top: The Benefits of Height

13 Pages Posted: 20 Jun 2009 Last revised: 27 Mar 2022

See all articles by Angus Deaton

Angus Deaton

Princeton University; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Raksha Arora

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Date Written: June 2009

Abstract

According to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index daily poll of the US population, taller people live better lives, at least on average. They evaluate their lives more favorably, and they are more likely to report a range of positive emotions such as enjoyment and happiness. They are also less likely to report a range of negative experiences, like sadness, and physical pain, though they are more likely to experience stress and anger, and if they are women, to worry. These findings cannot be attributed to different demographic or ethnic characteristics of taller people, but are almost entirely explained by the positive association between height and both income and education, both of which are positively linked to better lives.

Suggested Citation

Deaton, Angus S. and Arora, Raksha, Life at the Top: The Benefits of Height (June 2009). NBER Working Paper No. w15090, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1422968

Angus S. Deaton (Contact Author)

Princeton University ( email )

Woodrow Wilson School
Princeton, NJ 08544
United States
609-258-5967 (Phone)
609-258-5974 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.wws.princeton.edu/~deaton

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Raksha Arora

affiliation not provided to SSRN

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