For the first time since the World Happiness Report was generated in 2012, the United States has fallen out of the top 20 ranks of the state of happiness in countries around the globe. The top 10 countries in the World Happiness Report sometimes shift positions but have largely maintained their standings over the last 12 years. In 2024, however, significant shifts arose — new nations made entries, and several countries shuffled positions in response to evolving global happiness trends — with the U.
S. not rising to the challenge. In a notable decline, the United States dropped down to number 23, a significant fall from its previous standing at 15th on the list.
The United States and other Western nations reported much lower happiness levels among those under 30 than those aged 60 and older. The report highlights a discrepancy in happiness levels among younger and older generations in North America, Australia, and New Zealand. This generational happiness gap is most evident in the U.
S. and Canada, where rankings for those aged 60 and older are markedly higher than those under 30, illustrating the disconnect between the well-being of older and younger generations. The World Happiness Report rankings rely heavily on subjective well-being reports provided by individuals; participants' responses to the Cantril ladder life-evaluation question form the bedrock of this analysis.
These responses offer insight into perceived quality of life across varying age groups and geographical.