Canada has been ranked 25th among 147 countries in the 2026 World Happiness Report, reflecting a slight decline in overall national well-being.
In this year’s rankings, Canada placed just below the United States and sits between Poland (24th) and Taiwan (26th). The report, released on March 19, was prepared in collaboration with Gallup, the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford and the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
Canada’s Position and Trends
Canada remains among the top 25 happiest countries globally and is one of only five North American nations to achieve this standing. However, the 2026 ranking marks a noticeable drop from its 18th position in 2025.
The country recorded a life evaluation score of 6.741, placing it ahead of several major economies including the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Spain.
Experts note that this downward trend is not unique to Canada. Similar patterns have been observed in countries like the United States, Australia and New Zealand, largely influenced by declining well-being among individuals under the age of 25.
Over recent years, Canada’s ranking has fluctuated:
Canada’s World Happiness Ranking (Year-wise)
| Year | Global Ranking |
| 2020 | 11 |
| 2021 | 14 |
| 2022 | 15 |
| 2023 | 13 |
| 2024 | 15 |
| 2025 | 18 |
| 2026 | 25 |
Happiest Countries in 2026
Finland continues to dominate the rankings, securing the top position for the ninth consecutive year with a score of 7.764. Nordic countries once again performed strongly, maintaining their long-standing presence at the top.
Costa Rica emerged as a standout performer, ranking fourth—the highest ever achieved by a Latin American country.
Top 10 Happiest Countries (2026)
| Rank | Country | Life Evaluation Score |
| 1 | Finland | 7.764 |
| 2 | Iceland | 7.540 |
| 3 | Denmark | 7.539 |
| 4 | Costa Rica | 7.439 |
| 5 | Sweden | 7.255 |
| 6 | Norway | 7.242 |
| 7 | Netherlands | 7.223 |
| 8 | Israel | 7.187 |
| 9 | Luxembourg | 7.063 |
| 10 | Switzerland | 7.018 |
At the lower end of the rankings, countries such as Cameroon (100th), Pakistan (104th), India (116th), Bangladesh (127th) and Sri Lanka (134th) placed significantly lower, while Afghanistan ranked last at 147th.
How the Rankings Are Calculated
The World Happiness Report evaluates quality of life based on residents’ self-assessments rather than nationality. Participants rate their lives on a scale from 0 to 10 using the Cantril Ladder, where 0 represents the worst possible life and 10 the best.
The rankings are derived from average responses collected between 2023 and 2025, with approximately 1,000 participants surveyed annually in each country.
In addition to life evaluations, the report examines key factors linked to well-being, including:
- GDP per capita
- Social support
- Healthy life expectancy
- Freedom to make life choices
- Generosity
- Perceptions of corruption
While these indicators help explain variations in happiness levels, they do not directly determine the rankings.
Key Insight
One notable finding this year is the significant decline in life satisfaction among individuals under 25 in countries such as Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. The report suggests that increased social media usage and screen time may be contributing factors to this trend.
