Oxford, UK: Finland has once again claimed the top spot in the 2025 World Happiness Report, followed by Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Costa Rica, Norway, Israel, Luxembourg, and Mexico. Meanwhile, the United States has fallen to its lowest ranking ever, amid increasing social isolation and political polarization.
The annual report, published by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford in collaboration with Gallup and the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, assesses happiness in 147 countries.
It evaluates factors such as health, wealth, freedom, generosity, and freedom from corruption, based on self-reported assessments from individuals worldwide.
At the bottom of the index, Afghanistan ranked as the least happy country, followed by Sierra Leone, Lebanon, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Yemen, Comoros, and Lesotho.
The US ranked 24th this year, dropping one spot from last year and continuing its decline from its highest-ever ranking of 11th place in 2012.
The report highlighted rising unhappiness in the country, citing an increase in social isolation. One significant finding was that nearly one in four Americans reported eating all their meals alone in 2023—an increase of 53% since 2003.
The study also pointed to an increase in “deaths of despair” in the US, contradicting a global trend of decline. While such deaths have dropped by 75% in 59 countries since 2000, they remain high in nations like South Korea and Slovenia.
Researchers suggested that declining life satisfaction contributes to growing political polarization, a trend also observed in Europe.
The report noted that, “The decline in life satisfaction explains the overall rise in anti-system votes, but trust in others then comes into play. Among unhappy individuals drawn to the extremes of the political spectrum, those with low trust are more often found on the far right, whereas high-trust individuals are more inclined to vote for the far left.”
In contrast, Mexico, which entered the top 10 for the first time, was highlighted as an example of a nation where strong family bonds and shared meals contribute to overall well-being.
The report emphasized that regularly eating together and living in larger households foster social cohesion, helping explain why Mexico and Costa Rica—ranked sixth—achieved happiness levels comparable to wealthier European countries.
The report also added that, “Sharing meals has a strong impact on subjective well-being—on par with the influence of income and unemployment. This is true across ages, genders, countries, cultures, and regions.”
A key finding was the link between happiness and trust, measured by the belief that a lost wallet would be returned. Gallup CEO Jon Clifton emphasized that happiness depends on social connections, not just wealth. “If we want stronger communities and economies, we must invest in each other.”
The report concluded that the world’s happiest countries share common traits, including strong social support networks and a sense of belonging, reinforcing the importance of social cohesion in fostering overall well-being.
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