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According to the World Happiness Report 2025, the US is now outside of the top twenty happiest countries in the world. Finland remains at the top once again.
Are you happy with where you live? Content with the way your life is going? Slightly suspicious of your government?
These types of questions were asked to participants in the World Happiness Report 2025, a yearly study on global wellbeing.
Over 140 countries are ranked in terms of overall satisfaction based on six major factors. These include GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity and perceptions of corruption.
Each person involved in the report ranked their own happiness from the last three years, from 2022 to 2024. This year, the US ranked a measly 24th – the lowest it has ever been. The UK was only one ahead, placing 23rd.
Finland took the top spot once again, followed by Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Costa Rica, Norway, Israel, Luxembourg, Mexico, and Australia. In last place at 147th was Afghanistan.
One likely factor for such a low US and UK ranking is Gen Z loneliness.
2023’s report found that young people across the world were feeling increasingly isolated, with 19% saying they had nobody to count on for social support. This was a 39% increase from 2006.
Interestingly, this year’s report also noted that areas of lower happiness in the West were in line with reduced trust and increased political polarisation. This is hardly surprising given the state of current affairs.
The cost of living, a surge in right-wing political parties and rhetoric, as well as diminished opportunities are having a detrimental impact on the happiness of young people.
Studies show that political views are becoming ever more volatile and distant from one another, with fewer areas of common ground to bring people together.
