In 2022, Germans ranked second among the EU countries in life satisfaction, according to a Eurostat study.
Germans are among the unhappiest people in Europe
According to the study, only Bulgarians were less happy. The Eurostat research also revealed that of all German-speaking countries, Austria is the happiest, while Germany has dropped in the rankings again.
Germans rated the quality of their life at an average of 6.5 points on a scale from zero (very dissatisfied) to ten (very satisfied). In Bulgaria, this figure is 5.6 points, in Greece - 6.7 points, and in Austria - 7.9 points. The EU's overall average was 7.1 points.
The study emphasizes that countries traditionally associated with lower incomes, such as Romania and Poland, showed some of the highest levels of satisfaction, while wealthy Germany was less content.
This highlights the complex relationship between subjective well-being and economic prosperity. However, individuals from higher-income families typically express higher satisfaction than those from lower-income families.
In most participating countries, younger people (aged 16 to 29) reported higher life satisfaction compared to older people (over 65).
Moreover, the study notes that the level of education also influences life satisfaction, with individuals with higher levels of education consistently rating themselves as more satisfied than those with lower levels of education.
Despite the general trend in most countries where people in rural areas are happier than those in cities, in Germany, there was not a significant difference between urban and rural areas.
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Despite Germany ranking second in life satisfaction among EU countries, the Eurostat study also showed that Germans are less content compared to some countries with lower income levels. Additionally, Life in Germany was analyzed in terms of age and education, revealing that younger people and those with higher levels of education generally reported higher life satisfaction.
