Scandinavians and high social support continue to characterize the highest levels of well-being.

Life satisfaction is highest at low rates of social media use and lower at higher rates of use.

Social media that prioritizes communication, news, learning, and content creation can support happiness.

U.S. college students wish social media did not exist, but use it because others do. They prefer no one did.

The Gallup World Poll, United Nations, and Oxford University Wellbeing Research Centre’s World Happiness Report (WHR) has come of age, celebrating gains in happiness worldwide. In its 21st year, WHR psychologists, economists, and political scientists continue to collaborate to boost government well-being policies.

More Are Happy Than Not

The 2026 edition reports that since 2006, in nearly twice as many of the 136 countries in which residents self-assess and report on their well-being, there are notable gains in happiness (79) compared to losses (41). Positive emotions remain twice as frequent as negative emotions, and the frequency of anger fell everywhere.

World Happiness researchers consistently find that positive emotions influence well-being more than negative emotions detract, but along with positive emotions, negative emotions are also becoming more common.

Three-quarters of the variation in life evaluations across countries and time are explained by six variables: per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) followed by social support (having someone to count on), long........

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