Germans are happier than they were last year — study

Germans are significantly happier than they were last year, according to a study published on Tuesday.

The Happiness Atlas 2024 reported a national average life satisfaction score of 7.06 points out of 10. That's 0.14 points higher than in 2023.

"Germany is back on track for happiness," said Bernd Raffelhüschen, scientific director of the Happiness Atlas and professor at the University of Freiburg.

Happiness ranking highlights East-West divide

Hamburg topped the ranking as Germany's happiest state with 7.38 points.

The city-state has good healthcare, schools, and childcare facilities, as well as a particularly strong economy, a report on the study said.

It was followed by Bavaria and Schleswig-Holstein, each with 7.23 points.

Meanwhile, the eastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania was at the bottom of the list with 6.17 points. Second-to-last was the capital Berlin, on 6.63.

Life satisfaction also dereased in Saxony.

"Western German states once again dominate the top third of the ranking in 2024, while eastern German states have fallen back into the middle or bottom ranks," the report said.

Germany bounces back from pandemic slump

To compile the Happiness Atlas, researchers surveyed 12,452 people aged 16 and over between July 2023 and June 2024.

The researchers said that life satisfaction had increased particularly among those who struggled the most during the coronavirus pandemic, such as adolescents and young adults, working mothers, and people who live alone.

"2024 marks the year in which — at least in terms of the subjective assessment of one's own life — the crises of the years 2020 to 2023 have been overcome for a large part of the population," the report said.

Hamburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony-Anhalt and Brandenburg all reached or exceeded pre-pandemic levels of self-reported happiness, according to the annual survey.

zc/msh (dpa, AFP, epd, KNA)