More vibrant neighborhood, better quality of life? Examining pathways connecting neighborhood liveliness and subjective well-being

In response to rapid and uneven urban expansion, planners have increasingly emphasized the creation of lively and accessible neighborhoods that support quality of life. Neighborhood liveliness—the intensity of human activity in local environments—has emerged as a key dimension of urban livability, yet its relationship to subjective well-being (SWB) remains underexplored. Using geo-tagged spatial data and survey data collected from Beijing in 2018, the study explores the potential mechanisms linking neighborhood liveliness and SWB. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is employed to examine both direct and indirect effects, with a focus on mediating factors including perceived neighborhood attributes, active travel behavior, and neighborhood satisfaction. The results reveal that neighborhood liveliness has a positive direct effect on life satisfaction, but its impact on affective well-being is indirect, operating through encouraged active travel. Notably, excessive liveliness is also associated with reduced perceived aesthetics, highlighting trade-offs. These findings underscore the importance of designing behaviorally engaging urban environments and adopting a multidimensional planning approach that considers the complex interplay between spatial activity, mobility, and well-being.