Are you happy, like really happy? The annual World Happiness Report has revealed the happiest countries to live in the world, and the U.S. didn't even crack the top 20.
The Wellbeing Research Center at the University of Oxford published the happiness report on March 20. For the eighth year in a row, Finland has claimed the top spot as the happiest country int he world. You would have to go back all the way to the 24th spot to find the U.S. on the rankings.
I mean it could be worse. There are a lot of countries out there. But still, come on Americans! The happiness report was ranked from people's self-assessed life evaluations averaged over the years 2022-2024." Besides Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden rounded out second, third, and fourth places. It may be time to catch a one way flight to the Nords
"Nordic countries once again lead the happiness rankings," the report read. "Finland, Denmark, Iceland and Sweden are still the top four and in the same order."
Happiest Countries In The World
Other countries in the top 10 are Costa Rica, the Netherlands, Norway, Israel, Luxembourg, and Mexico. A couple of these are surprising for sure. But apparently the happiest countries come in all shapes and sizes.
"Finland is an extraordinary outlier and I think the world is really focused on understanding what is unique about Finland," Ilana Ron Levey, managing director at Gallup, said. Finland's people have optimism in the future and trust in both government as well as family and friends.
"I think another important point about Finland is that there is less well-being inequality within the country as compared to a country like the United States," she continued. "In Finland, there's more of a consensus about feeling good about your life."
"For the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand, happiness has decreased in all age groups, but especially for the young, so much so that the young are now, in 2021-2023, the least happy age group," the report said at the time.
