A comprehensive 272-page global study released March 19 is offering one of the most detailed looks yet at how people across the world evaluate their lives. The findings carry serious implications for the United States, where younger generations are reporting declining well-being while much of the rest of the world moves in the opposite direction.
“Heavy social media use appears to be contributing to the drop in well-being among young people in English-speaking countries and Western Europe, especially among girls,” according to the World Happiness Report 2026.
The report, produced by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford in partnership with Gallup and the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, combines global survey data, academic research, and policy analysis to examine how people rate their lives and what factors are shaping those views.
While social media is a major focus, the report makes clear it is only one part of a much larger set of concerns that include declining trust, weakening social connections, economic pressures, and shifting emotional patterns among younger populations.
Across 136 countries, nearly twice as many nations recorded gains in happiness as those that saw declines. But in the United States and similar countries, younger people are moving in the opposite direction, reporting lower life satisfaction than they did 15 years ago.
Researchers point to changes in social connections as a major driver. Declines in trust, fewer in-person interactions, and reduced feelings of belonging are strongly tied to falling well-being, especially among younger people.
The report finds that life satisfaction is highest among those who use social media sparingly, typically less than one hour per day, while heavy use is associated with lower well-being.
Still, the type of use matters. Platforms centered on communication and connection show more positive outcomes, while passive scrolling and influencer-driven content are tied to negative outcomes at higher levels of use.
The United States ranks 23rd overall in happiness, while Nordic countries again lead the world, with Finland at the top.
“When it comes to happiness, building what is good in life is more important than finding and fixing what is bad,” said John F. Helliwell, a founding editor of the World Happiness Report. “Both need doing, now more than ever.”
Below is the list of the top 10 happiest countries in the world:
1. Finland
2. Iceland
3. Denmark
4. Costa Rica
5. Sweden
6. Norway
7. Netherlands
8. Israel
9. Luxembourg
10. Switzerland