Finland named world’s happiest country for 8th straight year

Finland is the world’s happiest country, according to the 2025 World Happiness Report, which asked countries to clap along if they felt like a room without a roof combines self-reported data with other factors, such as GDP per capita and corruption, to spit out an annual ranking of joy across the world.

It’s the eighth consecutive year the country has topped the list, continuing a string of Nordic domination like their Viking ancestors of yore; Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden round out the top-four spots.

More socializing = higher happiness levels

Major contributing factors to happiness besides health and wealth include: sharing meals with others, having somebody to count on for social support, and household size (4-5 people is the sweet spot in highly-ranked Mexico and Europe), per the study.

Perception also matters. Believing in the kindness of others is more closely tied to happiness than previously thought, according to the researchers, who, as part of the study, lost wallets on purpose and found they were returned at a rate ~2x higher than what people projected.

The US didn’t fare so well. America turned in its lowest happiness ranking on record for the second straight year, falling from #23 in 2024 to #24 in 2025. The drop, similar to souped-up Dodge Chargers, is mostly being driven by those under 30, who are more likely to feel a lack of freedom in their life choices, have a weak support system, and dine alone.

Explore the full report here.