<p>We leverage the Broadband China Policy as a quasi-experimental setting to scrutinize the impact of digital infrastructure expansion on subjective well-being of rural residents in China. Primarily utilizing four waves of the China Labor-force Dynamics Survey, complemented by several major datasets from multiple sources, we find compelling evidence that the expansion of digital infrastructure consistently leads to low levels of self-reported happiness for rural residents, while this effect exhibits heterogeneity across different demographics. Further analysis of the underlying mechanisms indicates that the adverse effects of broadband infrastructure expansion are primarily driven by intensified social comparison, weakened social connectedness, and deteriorating mental health. These findings suggest that authorities should fully consider the subjective welfare consequences of digital infrastructure expansion for vulnerable groups when formulating public policies to reduce the digital divide.</p>