The US gets its lowest-ever spot on list of happiest countries in the world
Topics: US News, World News
Lucy Devine
Featured Image Credit: Brandon Bell/Getty Images
Topics: US News, World News
The US has fallen to its lowest ever place on the World Happiness Report, which lists the happiest countries across the globe.
Published every year on International Day of Happiness, the list ranks 147 countries based on how they assess their quality of life.
The data is collected by Gallup World Poll, who explain that trust and connection are huge contributors when it comes to our happiness.
"Happiness isn't just about wealth or growth — it's about trust, connection and knowing people have your back," said Jon Clifton, the CEO of Gallup.
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This year, the US has dropped one place lower than in 2024, ranking 24th in the world, with its peak highest spot being at 11th place back in 2012.
One factor noted in the report was the concept of sharing meals and how this impacts happiness levels, as the team discovered that the number of Americans who eat alone has increased by over 50 percent since 2003.
"In 2023, roughly 1 in 4 Americans reported eating all of their meals alone the previous day — an increase of 53% since 2003," the research explained. "Dining alone has become more prevalent for every age group, but especially for young people."
The report also noted the 'rise in political polarization and votes against 'the system' had an impact on the US's ranking, adding: "The country-wide evolution of happiness and trust is highly associated with the rise in the likelihood of voting for anti-system parties in Western Europe and the United States."
Compiled using data from more than 140 countries, the report is published annually by Gallup, the United Nations, and the University of Oxford.
This year, Costa Rica and Mexico have both made it into the top 10, meanwhile the UK stands just one spot in front of the US at 23rd place.
Those living in Finland are seemingly pretty content, as the country has been named the happiest country for the eighth consecutive year.
Regardless of which country ranked in which spot, researchers said they had noticed some positive findings across the board.
"First, people are much too pessimistic about the benevolence of others. For example, when wallets were dropped in the street by researchers, the proportion of returned wallets was far higher than people expected. This is hugely encouraging," they said.
"Second, our wellbeing depends on our perceptions of others’ benevolence, as well as their actual benevolence. Since we underestimate the kindness of others, our wellbeing can be improved by receiving information about their true benevolence.
"Third, when society is more benevolent, the people who benefit most are those who are least happy. As a result, happiness is more equally distributed in countries with higher levels of expected benevolence."