Germans among the unhappiest people in Europe
A new European survey finds only Bulgarians are more unhappy than Germans, while Austrians take the top spot.
In 2022, Germans emerged as the second-least content citizens among the EU countries, according to a Eurostat survey on life satisfaction.
According to the survey, only Bulgarians were unhappier. The Eurostat study also reveals that out of all the German-speaking nations, Austria is by far the happiest, with Germany sliding in the rankings again.
Germans rated their quality of life at an average of 6.5 points on a scale from zero (very dissatisfied) to ten (very satisfied). That compares with an average of 5.6 points in Bulgaria, 6.7 points in Greece, and 7.9 points in Austria. The overall EU average came in at 7.1 points.
The study highlighted that nations previously associated with lower incomes, such as Romania and Poland, reported some of the highest satisfaction levels - while rich Germany was less content. This underscores the complex relationship between subjective well-being and economic prosperity. However, individuals from higher-income households generally expressed higher satisfaction than those from lower-income households.
Across most participating countries, younger individuals (aged 16 to 29) reported higher life satisfaction compared to older people (over 65).
Additionally, the study noted that education level also influenced personal satisfaction, with individuals holding higher levels of education consistently rating themselves as more satisfied than those with lower levels of education.
Although people living in rural areas were generally happier in most countries than those who lived in urban areas - no big urban-rural difference was recorded in Germany.
READ ALSO: Happiness of Germans dips to record low
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In 2022, Germans emerged as the second-least content citizens among the EU countries, according to a Eurostat survey on life satisfaction.
According to the survey, only Bulgarians were unhappier. The Eurostat study also reveals that out of all the German-speaking nations, Austria is by far the happiest, with Germany sliding in the rankings again.
Germans rated their quality of life at an average of 6.5 points on a scale from zero (very dissatisfied) to ten (very satisfied). That compares with an average of 5.6 points in Bulgaria, 6.7 points in Greece, and 7.9 points in Austria. The overall EU average came in at 7.1 points.
The study highlighted that nations previously associated with lower incomes, such as Romania and Poland, reported some of the highest satisfaction levels - while rich Germany was less content. This underscores the complex relationship between subjective well-being and economic prosperity. However, individuals from higher-income households generally expressed higher satisfaction than those from lower-income households.
Across most participating countries, younger individuals (aged 16 to 29) reported higher life satisfaction compared to older people (over 65).
Additionally, the study noted that education level also influenced personal satisfaction, with individuals holding higher levels of education consistently rating themselves as more satisfied than those with lower levels of education.
Although people living in rural areas were generally happier in most countries than those who lived in urban areas - no big urban-rural difference was recorded in Germany.
READ ALSO: Happiness of Germans dips to record low
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