Human First

Moderate evidence

Why some countries are happier than others

What explains the differences in average life satisfaction between countries?

Bottom line

Six factors account for more than three quarters of the variation in national average life evaluations: having someone to count on, GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and freedom from corruption1.

The World Happiness Report asks people in many countries, through the Gallup World Poll, to rate their lives. It does not decide in advance what should make people happy2.

Using data from 2005 onward, the report's editors found that six variables account for more than three quarters of the differences between countries and years: having someone to count on, log GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and freedom from corruption1.

At the individual level in the US, income is more closely related to how people evaluate their lives than to their day-to-day emotions3.

What this does not show

  • The model explains differences in averages between countries. It does not say what will make a particular person happier.
  • These variables account for variation statistically; that is not the same as proving each one causes happiness.

Claims and sources

  1. Using data from 2005 onward, six variables (having someone to count on, log GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and freedom from corruption) account for more than three-quarters of the variation in national average life evaluations across countries and years.

    Research finding Moderate evidence

  2. The World Happiness Report reports respondents' own life evaluations from the Gallup World Poll, imposing no prior judgements about what factors underlie them.

    Research finding Moderate evidence

  3. Income and education are more closely related to life evaluation than to emotional well-being.

    Research finding Moderate evidence

    • Kahneman D, Deaton A (2010). High income improves evaluation of life but not emotional well-being. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. doi:10.1073/pnas.1011492107

Version 1. First published , updated . Approved by The Human First editors on . Sources last verified 2026-10-24. Machine-readable version.