Population and Social Characteristics

The World's Happiest Countries: See Where the US Ranks

CasarsaGuru / E+ via Getty Images
Melly Alazraki
Published:

Happiness, by and large, is subjective, though it can certainly be influenced by different factors. So while lower or higher income may affect happiness to different degrees, not having enough to eat almost certainly would make someone less happy. To that end, Gallup World Poll has been surveying people of 143 countries, asking them to evaluate their life on a scale of zero to 10, with 10 being the best.

To find the 40 happiest countries in the world, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the World Happiness Report 2024. Countries are ranked by the average score for the years 2021-2023. We also added gross domestic product per capita in current U.S. dollars, life expectancy at birth (two factors found to explain happiness on a national level), and population totals from the World Bank.

Most of the countries on the list are in Europe or North America, but not all, with several in Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. All countries but four have higher GDP per capita than the world average of $12,688, with the 10 happiest countries having GDPs per capita of over $50,000. In all, however, the report found that GDP per capita is the factor explaining most of the happiness score.

For the seventh year in a row, Finland ranks as the happiest country, while its Nordic neighbors are all in the top 10, which stayed largely the same. Meanwhile, the United States fell out of the top 20 for the first time since the report was first published in 2012, ranking 23rd, despite a GDP per capita ranking sixth highest. This was driven by a large drop in the wellbeing of Americans under 30. (Also see: The Richest Country In the World Is Not the US.)

In many regions, the young are happier than the old. But in North America, happiness has fallen so sharply, the report notes, that the young are now less happy than the old. There has been a more moderate decline in youth happiness also in Western Europe, but as a whole, happiness in that region is similar at all ages. By contrast, in Central and Eastern Europe, the young are much happier than the old. For these reasons, the ranking of countries by happiness is very different for the young and for the old.

Full methodology

To find the 40 happiest countries in the world, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the World Happiness Report 2024, which is published in partnership with Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and an editorial board. Countries are ranked by the average score for the years 2021-2023.

The Cantril ladder score is based on the Gallup World Survey, which asked people across 137 countries the following question: “Please imagine a ladder, with steps numbered from 0 at the bottom to 10 at the top. The top of the ladder represents the best possible life for you and the bottom of the ladder represents the worst possible life for you. On which step of the ladder would you say you personally feel you stand at this time?”

The report attempts to explain a country’s average ladder score into components explained by six hypothesized underlying determinants: GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, social support, perceived freedom to make life choices, generosity, and perception of corruption. These factors have “been broadly found in the research literature to explain national-level differences in life evaluations.”

24/7 Wall St. added 2021 average life expectancy at birth, 2022 population, and gross domestic product per capita data from the World Bank. GDP per capita is in current U.S. dollars. Data for Taiwan was sourced from FocusEconomics for GDP per capita and the CIA World Factbook for life expectancy and population figures.

40. Malta

Source: aapsky / iStock via Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.346 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Positive
  • Happiest age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 57)
  • Least happy age group: Upper Middle Age (between 45 and 59) (age group rank: 38)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $34,128 — #25 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 82.9 years — #11 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 531,113

39. Panama

Source: DavorLovincic / Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.358 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Negative
  • Happiest age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 26)
  • Least happy age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 56)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $17,358 — #45 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 76.2 years — #47 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 4,408,581

38. Chile

Source: diegograndi / iStock via Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.360 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Negative
  • Happiest age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 39)
  • Least happy age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 46)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $15,355 — #47 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 78.9 years — #31 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 19,603,733

37. Serbia

Source: flowcomm / Flickr
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.411 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Positive
  • Happiest age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 3)
  • Least happy age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 54)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $9,538 — #60 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 72.7 years — #73 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 6,664,449

36. Spain

Source: LucVi / Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.421 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Positive
  • Happiest age group: Upper Middle Age (between 45 and 59) (age group rank: 29)
  • Least happy age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 29)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $29,675 — #32 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 83.2 years — #7 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 47,778,340

35. Poland

Source: MikeMareen / iStock via Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.442 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Positive
  • Happiest age group: Upper Middle Age (between 45 and 59) (age group rank: 24)
  • Least happy age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 40)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $18,688 — #42 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 75.6 years — #49 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 36,821,749

34. Estonia

Source: pedrosz / Flickr
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.448 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Positive
  • Happiest age group: Lower Middle Age (between 30 and 44) (age group rank: 24)
  • Least happy age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 35)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $28,247 — #34 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 76.7 years — #41 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 1,348,840

33. El Salvador

Source: undefined undefined / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.469 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Positive
  • Happiest age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 17)
  • Least happy age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 52)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $5,127 — #82 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 70.7 years — #85 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 6,336,392

32. Romania

Source: Instants / iStock via Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.491 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Positive
  • Happiest age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 8)
  • Least happy age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 48)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $15,787 — #46 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 73.0 years — #70 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 19,047,009

31. Taiwan Province of China

Source: fotoVoyager / iStock via Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.503 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Positive
  • Happiest age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 25)
  • Least happy age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 34)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $32,698 — #27 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 81.4 years — #23 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 23,588,613

30. Singapore

Source: orpheus26 / iStock via Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.523 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Negative
  • Happiest age group: Upper Middle Age (between 45 and 59) (age group rank: 25)
  • Least happy age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 26)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $82,808 — #5 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 83.4 years — #5 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 5,637,022

29. Kosovo

Source: Scott Biales / iStock via Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.561 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Positive
  • Happiest age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 23)
  • Least happy age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 39)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $5,340 — #81 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 76.8 years — #40 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 1,761,985

28. Saudi Arabia

Source: MOHAMED HUSSAIN YOUNIS / iStock via Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.594 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Positive
  • Happiest age group: Upper Middle Age (between 45 and 59) (age group rank: 14)
  • Least happy age group: Lower Middle Age (between 30 and 44) (age group rank: 39)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $30,448 — #30 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 76.9 years — #39 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 36,408,820

27. France

Source: mgaylard / Flickr
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.609 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Negative
  • Happiest age group: Lower Middle Age (between 30 and 44) (age group rank: 23)
  • Least happy age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 25)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $40,886 — #23 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 82.3 years — #16 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 67,971,311

26. Uruguay

Source: Leonid Andronov / iStock via Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.611 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Positive
  • Happiest age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 30)
  • Least happy age group: Upper Middle Age (between 45 and 59) (age group rank: 34)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $20,795 — #41 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 75.4 years — #50 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 3,422,794

25. Mexico

Source: atosan / Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.678 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Negative
  • Happiest age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 22)
  • Least happy age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 33)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $11,497 — #54 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 70.2 years — #92 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 127,504,125

24. Germany

Source: osde-info / Flickr
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.719 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Negative
  • Happiest age group: Lower Middle Age (between 30 and 44) (age group rank: 16)
  • Least happy age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 47)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $48,718 — #19 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 80.9 years — #27 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 83,797,985

23. United States

Source: monkeybusinessimages / iStock via Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.725 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Negative
  • Happiest age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 10)
  • Least happy age group: Lower Middle Age (between 30 and 44) (age group rank: 42)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $76,330 — #6 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 76.3 years — #46 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 333,287,557

22. United Arab Emirates

Source: Zdenka_Simekova / Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.733 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Negative
  • Happiest age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 11)
  • Least happy age group: Lower Middle Age (between 30 and 44) (age group rank: 25)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $53,708 — #14 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 78.7 years — #34 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 9,441,129

21. Slovenia

Source: pedrosz / Flickr
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.743 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Positive
  • Happiest age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 15)
  • Least happy age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 32)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $28,439 — #33 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 80.9 years — #28 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 2,111,986

20. United Kingdom

Source: Christopher Furlong / Getty Images News via Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.749 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Negative
  • Happiest age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 20)
  • Least happy age group: Lower Middle Age (between 30 and 44) (age group rank: 27)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $46,125 — #21 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 80.7 years — #29 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 66,971,395

19. Lithuania

Source: pjgardner / Flickr
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.818 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Positive
  • Happiest age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 1)
  • Least happy age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 44)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $25,065 — #36 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 74.3 years — #58 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 2,831,639

18. Czechia

Source: warrenlemay / Flickr
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.822 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Positive
  • Happiest age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 10)
  • Least happy age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 23)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $27,227 — #35 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 77.4 years — #37 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 10,672,118

17. Ireland

Source: Giuseppe Vitagliano / Shutterstock.com
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.838 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Negative
  • Happiest age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 21)
  • Least happy age group: Upper Middle Age (between 45 and 59) (age group rank: 21)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $103,983 — #3 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 82.1 years — #18 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 5,127,170

16. Belgium

Source: kentwang / Flickr
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.894 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Negative
  • Happiest age group: Lower Middle Age (between 30 and 44) (age group rank: 13)
  • Least happy age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 19)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $49,927 — #17 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 81.9 years — #20 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 11,685,814

15. Canada

Source: LSOphoto / iStock via Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.900 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Negative
  • Happiest age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 8)
  • Least happy age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 58)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $55,522 — #12 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 82.6 years — #14 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 38,929,902

14. Austria

Source: pedrosz / Flickr
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.905 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Negative
  • Happiest age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 12)
  • Least happy age group: Upper Middle Age (between 45 and 59) (age group rank: 18)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $52,085 — #15 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 81.2 years — #24 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 9,041,851

13. Kuwait

Source: kendoerr / Flickr
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.951 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Positive
  • Happiest age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 13)
  • Least happy age group: Lower Middle Age (between 30 and 44) (age group rank: 20)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $41,080 — #22 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 78.7 years — #35 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 4,268,873

12. Costa Rica

Source: miroslav_1 / iStock via Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 6.955 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Negative
  • Happiest age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 11)
  • Least happy age group: Upper Middle Age (between 45 and 59) (age group rank: 23)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $13,365 — #51 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 77.0 years — #38 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 5,180,829

11. New Zealand

Source: AsianDream / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 7.029 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Negative
  • Happiest age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 6)
  • Least happy age group: Lower Middle Age (between 30 and 44) (age group rank: 18)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $48,419 — #20 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 82.2 years — #17 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 5,124,100

10. Australia

Source: mdalmuld / Flickr
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 7.057 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Negative
  • Happiest age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 9)
  • Least happy age group: Lower Middle Age (between 30 and 44) (age group rank: 14)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $65,100 — #9 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 83.3 years — #6 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 26,005,540

9. Switzerland

Source: Julien Viry / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 7.060 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Negative
  • Happiest age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 13)
  • Least happy age group: Upper Middle Age (between 45 and 59) (age group rank: 11)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $93,260 — #4 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 83.9 years — #3 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 8,775,760

8. Luxembourg

Source: Massonstock / iStock via Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 7.122 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Positive
  • Happiest age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 6)
  • Least happy age group: Lower Middle Age (between 30 and 44) (age group rank: 11)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $125,006 — #1 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 82.7 years — #13 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 653,103

7. Norway

Source: patrick_nouhailler / Flickr
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 7.302 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Negative
  • Happiest age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 3)
  • Least happy age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 20)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $108,729 — #2 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 83.2 years — #8 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 5,457,127

6. Netherlands

Source: jd_scape / Flickr
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 7.319 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Negative
  • Happiest age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 7)
  • Least happy age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 9)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $57,025 — #10 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 81.5 years — #21 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 17,700,982

5. Israel

Source: RudyBalasko / iStock via Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 7.341 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Positive
  • Happiest age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 2)
  • Least happy age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 18)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $54,931 — #13 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 82.5 years — #15 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 9,557,500

4. Sweden

Source: Geber86 / E+ via Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 7.344 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Negative
  • Happiest age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 4)
  • Least happy age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 18)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $56,424 — #11 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 83.2 years — #9 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 10,486,941

3. Iceland

Source: ablokhin / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 7.525 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Negative
  • Happiest age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 4)
  • Least happy age group: Lower Middle Age (between 30 and 44) (age group rank: 4)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $73,467 — #7 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 83.1 years — #10 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 382,003

2. Denmark

Source: philfiddyment / Flickr
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 7.583 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Negative
  • Happiest age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 1)
  • Least happy age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 5)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $67,790 — #8 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 81.4 years — #22 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 5,903,037

1. Finland

Source: peeterv / Getty Images
  • Happiness score, 2021-2023: 7.741 out of 10
  • Decade change in happiness : Positive
  • Happiest age group: Old (age 60+) (age group rank: 2)
  • Least happy age group: Young (below 30) (age group rank: 7)
  • GDP per capita, 2022: $50,872 — #16 highest of 145 countries
  • Life expectancy, 2021: 81.9 years — #19 highest of 145 countries
  • Population, 2022: 5,556,106

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Read more: Population and Social Characteristics, cantrill ladder, Denmark, finland, Gallup, iceland, Netherlands, norway, oxford, Sweden, wellbeing, World Happiness Report

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