Former President Joe Biden's tenure saw Americans experiencing unprecedented levels of unhappiness in their daily lives.
According to Daily Caller, the United States plummeted to its lowest-ever position, ranking 24th in the 2025 World Happiness Report, based on data collected from 2022 to 2024 during Biden's presidency.
The comprehensive study, conducted by the University of Oxford in collaboration with Gallup and the United Nations, revealed Finland maintained its position as the world's happiest country for the eighth consecutive year. Finnish citizens reported an impressive average life satisfaction score of 7.736 out of 10, while American satisfaction levels declined significantly.
Denmark secured the second position in the rankings, followed by Iceland in third place and Sweden maintaining its fourth-place position from the previous year. The consistency of Nordic countries in achieving high happiness scores highlights their successful social and economic policies.
The striking contrast between Nordic nations and the United States raises questions about the factors contributing to American unhappiness. During Biden's administration, citizens grappled with multiple challenges, including increased illegal immigration, elevated crime rates, and persistent inflation.
Afghanistan retained its position as the world's unhappiest country, emphasizing the stark global disparities in quality of life and well-being.
Research indicates a concerning trend in American social habits, with a 53% increase in solo dining over the past two decades. This shift in social behavior correlates with declining happiness levels across the nation.
The Heritage Foundation's November 2024 report emphasized the crucial role of marriage in adult happiness. The conservative think tank's findings suggest that matrimony significantly influences household income and psychological well-being.
Former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy highlighted the severe health implications of social disconnection. He stated:
Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling—it harms both individual and societal health. It is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. The mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and even greater than that associated with obesity and physical inactivity.
Research shows optimal household sizes vary by region, with four to five people per household correlating with peak happiness levels in Mexico and Europe. These findings suggest the importance of family structures and living arrangements in promoting well-being.
The World Happiness Report's methodology involves extensive data collection, surveying over 100,000 people across 140 countries annually. Most countries contribute approximately 1,000 responses through telephone or face-to-face interviews.
The comprehensive nature of the survey, combining three years of data from 2022 to 2024, provides robust insights into global happiness trends and their underlying factors.
The United States' unprecedented drop to 24th place in global happiness rankings occurred during Biden's presidency, amid multiple domestic challenges including immigration issues, rising crime rates, and economic instability. The comprehensive World Happiness Report, drawing from extensive surveys across 147 countries, reveals Finland's continued dominance in global happiness metrics while highlighting concerning trends in American social connection and well-being. These findings emphasize the complex relationship between social structures, economic conditions, and national happiness levels.
