Economics

Money Makes Us Happy

Bringing data to the conversation.

Dispatch Strategic Competition 1 min read Brendan Hart
Money Makes Us Happy
Photo by Antonino Visalli / Unsplash

Each year, Gallup produces the Gallup World Poll. Described as "the most comprehensive and farthest-reaching survey of the world," the Gallup World Poll captures survey data from nearly all adults worldwide.

From the Gallup World Poll comes the UN's World Happiness Report. The World Happiness Report captures sentiment ("how people evaluate their own lives"). The map below measures self-reported life satisfaction on a 0-10 scale (with 10 being the top) by country.

Source: OWID

Money makes people happier

I have previously written about GDP per capita, the economic measurement commonly used as a rough proxy for measuring the standard of living in a society.

One reaches a clear conclusion when mapping GDP per capita and self-reported life satisfaction: people who live in richer countries are, on average, happier than people living in poorer countries.

Money makes people happier!

Spread the message widely! Be the contrarian you always wanted to be! Become the money is good evangelist at the party! Your friends, family, and followers will owe you a lifetime of self-reported satisfaction.

Source: OWID

Connecting the Dots

  1. Our World in Data (OWID) is a gift to the public.
  2. How Does the Gallup World Poll Work?
Brendan Hart

About the Author

Brendan Hart

Brendan Hart is an economist, entrepreneur, and executive advisor with two decades of experience building organizations and leading transformation across technology, defense, human capital, and government. USMC. Dartmouth. UVA-Darden.