Countries by Life Evaluation Score
Complete ranking of 146 countries • 0-10 ladder score • Data refreshed May 28, 2026
Leader
Finland
Field size
146 countries
Lowest rank
Afghanistan
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About Life Evaluation Score Rankings
Finland leads all 146 countries in Life Evaluation Score with a value of 7.76 pts, while Afghanistan ranks last at 1.45 pts. This represents a 5-fold difference between the highest and lowest values.
What Life Evaluation Score Measures
Average self-reported life evaluation on the 0-10 Cantril ladder from the World Happiness Report Figure 2.1 three-year average.
Why This Ranking Matters
Examining Life Evaluation Score across all countries reveals patterns that might not be obvious at the national level. Regional clusters, outlier nations, and historical trajectories all become clearer when the full global picture is assembled in a single ranking.
Global Range
Values range from 1.45 pts (Afghanistan) to 7.76 pts (Finland) — a 5-fold difference across 146 countries.
Regional Patterns
European countries dominate this ranking, holding 14 of the top 20 positions. This strong regional concentration suggests shared economic, geographic, or policy factors that drive higher values across the continent.
Values are broadly distributed across countries, with the middle 50% ranging from 4.66 pts to 6.57 pts. The overall spread from 1.45 pts to 7.76 pts reflects significant global variation.
Notable Outliers
The top of the ranking is competitive: Finland and Iceland are separated by only 3%, indicating that the leading positions could shift with updated data.
Continental Leaders
Highest Life Evaluation Score
The 5 strongest Life Evaluation Score reads.
Lowest Life Evaluation Score
The 5 lowest Life Evaluation Score reads.
Data Note
Rankings are based on the latest available data from World Happiness Report Figure 2.1, covering 146 of 249 countries and territories. Countries without data for this metric are excluded from the ranking. All values represent the most recently reported figures.
