A significant rise in Americans dining alone contributes to the US’s declining happiness ranking
Finland has maintained its position as the world’s happiest nation for the eighth consecutive year, according to the 2025 World Happiness Report. The report, released on March 20, highlighted the country’s stunning natural beauty and robust welfare system as key factors contributing to its residents’ contentment.
The United States, however, saw its happiness ranking plummet to 24th place, its lowest since the inception of the report in 2012, when it peaked at 11th. The decline has been attributed, in part, to an increase in the number of Americans eating their meals alone. The report found that approximately 25% of Americans dined alone every day in 2023, a significant rise from previous years. The report emphasised that shared meals are closely linked with well-being, making this social shift a major factor in the US’s diminished happiness score.
Additionally, the US saw a concerning rise in “deaths of despair” – suicides and substance abuse deaths – while such fatalities were declining in most other nations. These troubling statistics, combined with the societal challenges of the past few years, have further impacted the nation’s happiness.
The report also saw the entry of Costa Rica and Mexico into the top 10 happiest countries, placing 6th and 10th, respectively. Finland’s Nordic neighbours, Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden, remained in the top ranks, with Finland continuing to extend its lead over Denmark.
Meanwhile, Singapore, previously Asia’s happiest country, fell to 34th, overtaken by Taiwan at 27th place. The rankings are based on factors such as GDP per capita, life satisfaction, social support, healthy life expectancy, and freedom.
Experts pointed to Finland’s strong democracy, low corruption, and comprehensive social welfare systems, which include universal healthcare and generous parental leave, as essential components of the nation’s high happiness levels. According to Dr Frank Martela, a researcher at Aalto University, the Finns’ contentment is also tied to their connection with nature, including forests and lakes, which plays a crucial role in their overall well-being.
New findings from the report indicated that acts of generosity and trust in others’ kindness are also powerful predictors of happiness, often outweighing material factors such as income. This is further reflected in Nordic countries, which lead the world in terms of expected and actual returns of lost wallets, showcasing a strong sense of community and trust.
For many, these findings reinforce the importance of social connections, community spirit, and trust in others as foundational elements of national happiness.
