Where every country stands
each dot is a countryThe boards: happiness · life satisfaction · healthcare
Different measures, different leaders
the top five on each of 9 measures
Happiness
- 1Mexico 7.9
- 2Indonesia 7.9
- 3Saudi Arabiathin 7.9
- 4Sri Lankathin 7.8
- 5India 7.8
Most very happy
- 1Saudi Arabiathin 44%
- 2India 41%
- 3Mexico 40%
- 4Indonesia 39%
- 5Sri Lankathin 38%
Fewest unhappy
- 1Sri Lankathin 0%
- 2Colombiathin 0%
- 3Vietnam 0%
- 4Ugandathin 0%
- 5Nepalthin 0%
Life satisfaction
- 1Mexicothin 7.5
- 2Vietnamthin 7.2
- 3Philippinesthin 7.0
- 4India 6.9
- 5Brazil 6.9
Fewest in despair
- 1Vietnamthin 0%
- 2Philippinesthin 0%
- 3Germanythin 0%
- 4Mexicothin 1%
- 5Brazil 3%
Most hopeful
- 1Ukrainethin +2.5
- 2Nigeria +2.5
- 3Pakistan +2.1
- 4Bangladeshthin +2.0
- 5Indonesia +1.7
Positive affect
- 1Nigeria 77
- 2Ugandathin 75
- 3Philippines 75
- 4Mexico 74
- 5India 73
Calm
- 1Russia 31
- 2Germanythin 31
- 3Canadathin 31
- 4Ugandathin 33
- 5UKthin 33
Psychological wellbeing
- 1Indonesia 86
- 2Ugandathin 86
- 3Nigeria 85
- 4Colombiathin 84
- 5Saudi Arabiathin 84
Purpose in life
- 1Indonesia 89
- 2Nigeria 88
- 3Algeriathin 88
Personal growth
- 1Ugandathin 90
- 2Nigeria 90
- 3Indonesia 89
Autonomy
- 1Indonesia 91
- 2Malaysiathin 86
- 3Vietnam 85
Positive relations
- 1Colombiathin 85
- 2UKthin 84
- 3Indonesia 83
Self-acceptance
- 1Ugandathin 88
- 2Kenyathin 86
- 3Nigeria 85
Environmental mastery
- 1Ugandathin 91
- 2Nigeria 85
- 3UKthin 84
Countries with 30 or more answers on each measure. Life satisfaction is the Cantril ladder: people place their life on a ladder from 0, the worst possible life for them, to 10, the best; shares count the very top (9 or 10) or the very bottom (0 to 2) of a scale and break ties with the higher mean; most hopeful is how many steps up the ladder people expect to stand in five years, from the same people's answers now and later. Positive affect, calm and psychological wellbeing come from the world panel on 0 to 100: every answer at the bottom of the scale is 0, every answer at the top is 100; calm ranks the lowest negative feelings first. Unweighted. Thin means 30 to 99 answers.
The world's cities
life satisfaction (Cantril ladder) · weighted city censuses| City | Life satisfaction | Residents |
|---|---|---|
| Jakarta | 6.91 | 44 |
| Bengaluru | 6.89 | 47 |
| Mexico City | 6.82 | 50 |
| Paris | 6.82 | 50 |
| Columbus | 6.82 | 104 |
| Houston | 6.62 | 139 |
| Chicago | 6.61 | 1,313 |
| Fremont | 6.54 | 63 |
| Singapore | 6.53 | 45 |
| Los Angeles | 6.40 | 143 |
| Istanbul | 6.30 | 43 |
| New York City | 6.23 | 144 |
| Denver | 5.82 | 94 |
| Tokyo | 5.18 | 45 |
| Xi'an | 4.36 | 31 |
| Beijing early | – | 24 |
| Shanghai early | – | 28 |
World panel life satisfaction: 6.49
Each city census weights its sample to the city's own population, so a city's number speaks for its residents. Anyone can fund a census for their own city, so the mix keeps growing.
Same country, a year apart
happiness · 2025 against 202614 countries have 30 or more answers in both years. Only one moved by more than the margin of error; the rest mostly hold steady.
Grey rows changed by less than the margin of error. 2026 counts answers so far this year. Unweighted: the people answering in a country can change from one year to the next.
Country by country
mean on 0–10 · countries with 30+ answers| Country | Happiness | Life satisfaction | Healthcare |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇲🇽 Mexico | 7.92 | 7.47° | – |
| 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 7.89 | 6.57 | 7.03° |
| 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 7.86° | – | – |
| 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | 7.81° | – | – |
| 🇮🇳 India | 7.80 | 6.94 | 7.95 |
| 🇨🇴 Colombia | 7.67° | – | – |
| 🇵🇪 Peru | 7.61° | – | – |
| 🇰🇪 Kenya | 7.58° | – | – |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | 7.51 | 6.93 | 7.44° |
| 🇲🇾 Malaysia | 7.49° | – | – |
| 🇦🇷 Argentina | 7.44° | – | – |
| 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 7.31 | 7.17° | – |
| 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | 7.26° | – | – |
| 🇨🇳 China | 7.20 | 6.65 | 7.15 |
| 🇹🇭 Thailand | 7.18° | – | – |
| 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 7.17 | 5.42 | 7.08° |
| 🇵🇭 Philippines | 7.13 | 7.03° | – |
| 🇵🇰 Pakistan | 7.11 | 5.80 | 7.51° |
| 🇬🇭 Ghana | 7.11° | – | – |
| 🇺🇬 Uganda | 7.02° | – | – |
| 🇰🇷 South Korea | 6.97° | – | – |
| 🇺🇸 USA | 6.96 | 6.58 | 7.33 |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | 6.92° | – | – |
| 🇪🇬 Egypt | 6.84 | 6.13° | – |
| 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | 6.83 | 5.39° | – |
| 🇳🇵 Nepal | 6.75° | – | – |
| 🇷🇺 Russia | 6.69 | 5.87° | – |
| 🇿🇦 South Africa | 6.67° | – | – |
| 🇬🇧 UK | 6.63 | 6.48° | – |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | 6.62 | – | – |
| 🇲🇦 Morocco | 6.59° | – | – |
| 🇨🇲 Cameroon | 6.58° | – | – |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | 6.52 | 6.85° | – |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | 6.52° | – | – |
| 🇩🇿 Algeria | 6.47° | – | – |
| 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | 6.46° | – | – |
| 🇨🇩 DRC | 6.43° | – | – |
| 🇫🇷 France | 6.37 | 6.10° | – |
| 🇹🇷 Turkey | 6.18 | 5.62° | – |
| 🇵🇱 Poland | 6.11° | – | – |
| 🇲🇬 Madagascar | 6.03° | – | – |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | 5.86 | – | – |
| 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 5.63° | 5.19° | – |
| 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 5.36° | – | – |
Unweighted panel answers: a country's number describes the panelists who answered there. ° thin: 30 to 99 answers. Hover a number for its count.
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