World Happiness Report 2025: Finland Leads Again as the US and UK Face Major Declines

What is World Happiness Report?

World Happiness Report (WHR) is the most prominent global wellbeing (overall quality of a person’s life) publication includes more than 140 countries. It is published by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford each year. It’s not just focus on gathering the data but to improve the every person’s life.

How is happiness index measured?

• GDP per capita
• Healthy life expectancy
• Social support
• Freedom to make life choices
• Generosity
• Perceptions of corruption
• Dystopia + Residual

WHR is partnering with Gallup to conduct the surveys and collect the data except GDP per capita and Healthy Life Expectancy which are gathered from World Bank and World Health Organization (WHO) respectively.

Top tier Researchers and Editorials from different academic disciplines analyze the data and publish the World Happiness Report. These are mostly affiliated with Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre and UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN).

Please Note: WHR usually analyze data from previous 3 years to improve accuracy.

Who is happiest country in the world?

Quick answer is Finland. This is not the first time, Finland has secured the top spot over the last eight consecutive years. Its Cantril Ladder score according to the 2025 report is 7.736 (averaged 2022 – 2024), which is the highest among all countries.

Finland has a low population and is rich in resources. Their system ensured they had the facilities they needed to lead a happy life. Finland charges high taxes but spends on public happiness.

What’s Causing the Decline of the US and UK? A Deep Look at Family, Economy, and Social Values

The United States of America has hit its lowest ever rank, currently ranking 24th with a Cantril Ladder score of 6.724. The main reason behind their decline is the increasing unhappiness among young people, which is expected to continue over time.

The UK also further falls from 20th position in 2024 to 23rd in the 2025 report.

Key Factors Behind the Decline of Modern Societies in US and UK

• Unfair distribution of wealth and resources

• Weakening of the family system and growing emotional distance

• Increase in materialism and self-interest

• Marital disharmony and increasing divorce rates

• Decline of traditional social values

• Men and women are spending less time at home due to economic pressure and instability

• Distraction from family responsibilities

• Growing preference for single life over marriage

• Decline in spiritual and moral values

• Social disorder and increasing distrust among individuals

To understand the effects of capitalism on family life, we need to examine the economic and social changes in the US and the UK over time.

Capitalism has had a profound impact on social structure in the past and has completely changed the traditional concepts of family life.

The rise of capitalism in economic ideologies and systems not only affected the economy but also caused a deterioration in human relationships, family relations, and social values.

The effects of capitalism on family life can be described in the context of different aspects, namely economic pressure, the nature of relationships, and the decline of social values.

Economic pressure and complications of family life

The most prominent evil of the capitalist system was the unfair distribution of wealth and resources. 80 percent of people had such limited income that they could barely meet their needs, while 20 percent had immense wealth.

Due to these economic imbalances in the US and the UK, severe tension arose in family life, and ordinary men were unable to maintain their families amid financial instability.

In these capitalist systems, both men and women entered the job market to survive and maintain economic stability, which created distance between family members.

In the past century, women were highly inclined towards employment and business due to economic constraints.

Nature of Relationships and Marital Relations

Their capitalist system has severely affected marital relations, disrupting the balance and harmony in family life.

As a result, the divorce rate has increased, and changes are being seen in the traditional concept of married life.

Due to the dazzling reflection of the capitalist system, married women found their lives burdensome because they had no income and were busy with housework all day.

Later, they found independent life and economic prosperity more attractive than traditional family life.

And its effects became more serious because this trend completely broke down the family system.

In the pursuit of economic development and material prosperity, individuals further ignored the importance of family relationships.

In relationships, interests have been given greater importance than spiritual feelings, upsetting the balance of family life; the concept of marriage has disappeared, and single life has been preferred, leading to social chaos and the collapse of the family system.