World Happiness Report 2026: Social Media Is Hurting Young People's Well-Being

Finland has topped the World Happiness Report rankings for the ninth consecutive year, according to the 2026 edition published this week by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford in partnership with Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Finland scored 7.764 out of 10 when respondents were asked to evaluate their own lives. Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway also ranked in the top 10.

The report draws on responses from around 100,000 people across 140 countries and territories, all asked to rate their lives on a scale from zero to ten.

Social Media Use Linked to Drop in Young People's Well-Being

The report's central finding this year focuses on social media and its effect on younger generations. Life evaluations among under-25s in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand have dropped by almost one full point on the zero-to-ten scale over the past decade. Over the same period, average well-being scores for young people in the rest of the world increased.

The report identifies heavy social media use as a key factor behind that gap.

The decline is more pronounced among girls. Heavy social media use was associated with a well-being drop of nearly a full point for girls in Western Europe and about half a point for boys. The report describes the effects as particularly concerning among teenage girls in English-speaking countries.

Citing an OECD study, the report found that people who use social media for more than seven hours a day report much lower well-being than those who use it for less than one hour. The harms identified include direct harm such as cyberbullying and sextortion, as well as indirect harm such as depression and anxiety.

The report's authors state that if social media platforms did not exist, many users would be better off.

Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, an Oxford economics professor who directs the Wellbeing Research Centre and co-edits the report, noted that the relationship between social media and well-being depends on which platforms people use, who is using them, how they are used, and for how long. He added that heavy usage is associated with much lower well-being, but that people who are completely off social media also appear to miss out on some positive effects.

Happiness Rankings 2026: Finland Leads, Costa Rica Climbs

The report attributes Finland's consistent top ranking to a combination of wealth, its equal distribution, a welfare state that protects citizens from economic instability, and a healthy life expectancy.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb responded to the result by saying there is no magic potion, but that it helps to have a society which strives toward freedom, equality, and justice.

Costa Rica was one of the most notable movers in this year's happiness rankings, climbing to fourth place from 23rd in 2023, and becoming the first Latin American country ever to enter the top five. De Neve said the country's rise reflects the quality of its citizens' social lives and current stability. He noted that Latin America more generally has strong family ties, strong social ties, and a high level of social capital.

The 2026 rankings mark the second consecutive year that no English-speaking country appears in the top 10. The United States ranks 23rd, Canada 25th, and Britain 29th.

Afghanistan ranks as the unhappiest country for another year, followed by Sierra Leone and Malawi.

Social Media Findings Come as Governments Act on Youth Access

The report's publication coincides with a growing wave of legislative action on social media access for minors. More and more countries have banned or are considering banning social media for under-16s, including Australia and France.

Contributors to this year's report include psychologist Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, generational differences expert Jean Twenge, and Nudge co-author Cass Sunstein.

World Happiness Report 2026: Top 20 Rankings

1. Finland
2. Iceland
3. Denmark
4. Costa Rica
5. Sweden
6. Norway
7. Netherlands
8. Israel
9. Luxembourg
10. Switzerland
11. New Zealand
12. Mexico
13. Ireland
14. Belgium
15. Australia
16. Kosovo
17. Germany
18. Slovenia
19. Austria
20. Czechia