Countries by Life Satisfaction

What Life Satisfaction Measures

Life Satisfaction is a comparative indicator tracked across countries by the OECD. It provides a quantitative basis for cross-national comparison, enabling researchers and policymakers to benchmark national performance on this dimension against global peers.

Why This Ranking Matters

Examining Life Satisfaction 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 5.80 (Turkey) to 8.45 (Mexico) — minimal difference across 35 countries.

Regional Patterns

European countries dominate this ranking, holding 15 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 7.14 to 7.62. The overall spread from 5.80 to 8.45 reflects significant global variation.

Notable Outliers

The top of the ranking is competitive: Mexico and Iceland are separated by only 4%, indicating that the leading positions could shift with updated data.

Continental Leaders

North America

Mexico

8.45

Europe

Iceland

8.13

Asia

Israel

8.03

Oceania

New Zealand

7.60