Quality or quantity of urban greenery: Which matters more to mental health? Evidence from housing prices in the Pearl River Delta

Abstract

Recent urbanization in China has highlighted the critical role of urban green space (UGS) interventions in alleviating mental health issues associated with urban environments. While existing literature broadly supports the positive effects of green spaces on psychological well-being, less attention has been given to the relative impact of UGS quality versus quantity, particularly when considering housing prices and homeownership. This study investigates the relationship between urban greenery and mental health through the mediating roles of neighborhood ties and place attachment. A random sample of 1309 participants from 30 communities in the Pearl River Delta, China, was analyzed using structural equation modeling to explore multiple mediating and moderating effects. The findings reveal that: (1) neighborhood ties and place attachment predominantly mediate the relationship between UGS quality and mental health; (2) UGS quality has a greater influence on mental health than quantity, particularly among renters; (3) in wealthier neighborhoods, neighborhood ties attenuate the mental health benefits provided by UGS quantity, with renters experiencing more significant mental health improvements from high-quality UGS than homeowners. This study enhances our understanding of how urban greenery affects mental health, emphasizing the importance of UGS quality over quantity. Furthermore, it underscores the need to incorporate high-quality green spaces into the built environment of tenure-mixed neighborhoods to mitigate health disparities linked to housing economic status.