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Where the World’s Population Falls on the Happiness Scale in 2026

2026-03-19 20:43:59

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Voronoi showing happiness scores by population.

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Where the World’s Population Falls on the Happiness Scale

See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

  • Finland, Denmark, and many of the world’s happiest countries are home to relatively small populations.
  • Billions live in mid-ranked happiness countries including India, China, and Indonesia.
  • Lower happiness scores are concentrated in parts of Africa and Asia, home to large and growing populations.

The world’s happiest countries are often ranked, but looking at happiness scores from the latest 2026 World Happiness Report in relation to population gives a clearer view of the global population’s happiness or unhappiness.

While Nordic nations consistently top global happiness rankings, they represent only a small fraction of the world’s population. Meanwhile, billions of people live in countries with more moderate—or lower—levels of life satisfaction.

Using data from the 2026 World Happiness Report, this visualization combines happiness scores with population data from the UN World Population Prospects to reveal how happiness is truly distributed across the globe.

The World’s Happiness Distribution by Population

At the top of the rankings, countries like Finland, Denmark, and Iceland continue to report the highest levels of life satisfaction.

Life satisfaction was measured using the Cantril Ladder, which asked people to rate their lives on a scale of 0-10, where 10 represents the best possible life, and 0 represents the worst. Rankings averaged data over three years, to better capture happiness and well-being.

The data table below shows the happiness score and population of each country in the 2026 World Happiness Report:

Rank Country Happiness Score Population Region
1 🇫🇮 Finland 7.8 5.6M Europe
2 🇮🇸 Iceland 7.5 398K Europe
3 🇩🇰 Denmark 7.5 6.0M Europe
4 🇨🇷 Costa Rica 7.4 5.2M North America
5 🇸🇪 Sweden 7.3 10.7M Europe
6 🇳🇴 Norway 7.2 5.6M Europe
7 🇳🇱 Netherlands 7.2 18.3M Europe
8 🇮🇱 Israel 7.2 9.5M Asia
9 🇱🇺 Luxembourg 7.1 680K Europe
10 🇨🇭 Switzerland 7.0 9.0M Europe
11 🇳🇿 New Zealand 7.0 5.3M Oceania
12 🇲🇽 Mexico 7.0 131.9M North America
13 🇮🇪 Ireland 6.9 5.3M Europe
14 🇧🇪 Belgium 6.9 11.8M Europe
15 🇦🇺 Australia 6.9 27.0M Oceania
16 🇽🇰 Kosovo 6.9 1.7M Europe
17 🇩🇪 Germany 6.9 84.1M Europe
18 🇸🇮 Slovenia 6.9 2.1M Europe
19 🇦🇹 Austria 6.8 9.1M Europe
20 🇨🇿 Czechia 6.8 11.3M Asia
21 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates 6.8 10.6M Europe
22 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia 6.8 34.6M Asia
23 🇺🇸 United States 6.8 347.3M North America
24 🇵🇱 Poland 6.8 38.1M Europe
25 🇨🇦 Canada 6.7 40.1M North America
26 🇹🇼 Taiwan 6.7 23.1M Asia
27 🇧🇿 Belize 6.7 423K North America
28 🇱🇹 Lithuania 6.7 2.8M Europe
29 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 6.7 69.6M Europe
30 🇷🇸 Serbia 6.7 6.7M Europe
31 🇺🇾 Uruguay 6.6 3.4M South America
32 🇧🇷 Brazil 6.6 212.8M South America
33 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan 6.6 20.8M Asia
34 🇷🇴 Romania 6.6 18.9M Europe
35 🇫🇷 France 6.6 66.7M Europe
36 🇸🇬 Singapore 6.6 5.9M Asia
37 🇸🇻 El Salvador 6.6 6.4M North America
38 🇮🇹 Italy 6.6 59.1M Europe
39 🇵🇦 Panama 6.5 4.6M North America
40 🇰🇼 Kuwait 6.5 5.0M Asia
41 🇪🇸 Spain 6.5 47.9M Europe
42 🇬🇹 Guatemala 6.5 18.7M North America
43 🇲🇹 Malta 6.4 545K Europe
44 🇦🇷 Argentina 6.4 45.9M South America
45 🇻🇳 Viet Nam 6.4 101.6M Asia
46 🇪🇪 Estonia 6.4 1.3M Europe
47 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina 6.4 3.1M Europe
48 🇱🇻 Latvia 6.4 1.9M Europe
49 🇯🇲 Jamaica 6.3 2.8M North America
50 🇨🇱 Chile 6.3 19.9M South America
51 🇳🇮 Nicaragua 6.3 7.0M North America
52 🇹🇭 Thailand 6.3 71.6M Asia
53 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan 6.3 37.1M Asia
54 🇸🇰 Slovakia 6.3 5.5M Europe
55 🇧🇭 Bahrain 6.3 1.6M Asia
56 🇵🇭 Philippines 6.2 116.8M Asia
57 🇵🇾 Paraguay 6.2 7.0M South America
58 🇴🇲 Oman 6.2 5.5M Asia
59 🇪🇨 Ecuador 6.1 18.3M South America
60 🇲🇪 Montenegro 6.1 633K Europe
61 🇯🇵 Japan 6.1 123.1M Asia
62 🇨🇾 Cyprus 6.1 1.4M Europe
63 🇭🇳 Honduras 6.1 11.0M North America
64 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic 6.1 11.5M North America
65 🇨🇳 China 6.1 1.42B Asia
66 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan 6.0 7.3M Asia
67 🇰🇷 Republic of Korea 6.0 53.4M South America
68 🇨🇴 Colombia 6.0 51.7M Asia
69 🇵🇹 Portugal 6.0 10.4M Europe
70 🇭🇷 Croatia 6.0 3.8M Europe
71 🇲🇾 Malaysia 6.0 36.0M Asia
72 🇵🇪 Peru 6.0 34.6M South America
73 🇲🇺 Mauritius 5.9 1.3M Africa
74 🇭🇺 Hungary 5.9 9.6M Europe
75 🇲🇳 Mongolia 5.9 3.5M Asia
76 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago 5.9 1.5M North America
77 🇲🇩 Republic of Moldova 5.9 3.0M Europe
78 🇧🇴 Bolivia 5.8 12.6M South America
79 🇷🇺 Russian Federation 5.8 144.0M Europe
80 🇻🇪 Venezuela 5.8 28.5M South America
81 🇱🇾 Libya 5.7 7.5M Africa
82 🇲🇰 North Macedonia 5.7 1.8M Europe
83 🇩🇿 Algeria 5.7 47.4M Africa
84 🇧🇬 Bulgaria 5.7 6.7M Europe
85 🇬🇷 Greece 5.7 9.9M Europe
86 🇦🇱 Albania 5.7 2.8M Europe
87 🇮🇩 Indonesia 5.6 285.7M Asia
88 🇹🇯 Tajikistan 5.6 10.8M Asia
89 🇦🇲 Armenia 5.6 3.0M Asia
90 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR 5.6 7.4M Asia
91 🇬🇪 Georgia 5.5 3.8M Asia
92 🇱🇦 Lao PDR 5.5 7.9M Asia
93 🇲🇿 Mozambique 5.3 35.6M Africa
94 🇹🇷 Türkiye 5.3 87.7M Asia
95 🇮🇶 Iraq 5.2 47.0M Asia
96 🇬🇦 Gabon 5.2 2.6M Africa
97 🇮🇷 Iran 5.2 92.4M Asia
98 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire 5.1 32.7M Africa
99 🇳🇵 Nepal 5.1 29.6M Asia
100 🇨🇲 Cameroon 5.1 29.9M Africa
101 🇿🇦 South Africa 5.0 64.7M Africa
102 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan 5.0 10.4M Asia
103 🇳🇪 Niger 4.9 27.9M Africa
104 🇵🇰 Pakistan 4.9 255.2M Asia
105 🇹🇳 Tunisia 4.8 12.3M Africa
106 🇳🇬 Nigeria 4.8 237.5M Africa
107 🇸🇳 Senegal 4.8 18.9M Africa
108 🇳🇦 Namibia 4.8 3.1M Africa
109 🇵🇸 State of Palestine 4.7 5.6M Asia
110 🇰🇪 Kenya 4.7 57.5M Africa
111 🇺🇦 Ukraine 4.7 39.0M Europe
112 🇲🇦 Morocco 4.6 38.4M Africa
113 🇬🇳 Guinea 4.6 15.1M Africa
114 🇲🇱 Mali 4.6 25.2M Africa
115 🇬🇭 Ghana 4.6 35.1M Africa
116 🇮🇳 India 4.5 1.46B Asia
117 🇸🇴 Somalia 4.5 19.7M Africa
118 🇺🇬 Uganda 4.5 51.4M Africa
119 🇯🇴 Jordan 4.5 11.5M Asia
120 🇲🇷 Mauritania 4.5 5.3M Africa
121 🇰🇭 Cambodia 4.5 17.8M Asia
122 🇨🇬 Congo 4.5 6.5M Africa
123 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso 4.5 24.1M Africa
124 🇧🇯 Benin 4.4 14.8M Africa
125 🇹🇩 Chad 4.4 21.0M Africa
126 🇱🇸 Lesotho 4.4 2.4M Africa
127 🇧🇩 Bangladesh 4.3 175.7M Asia
128 🇬🇲 Gambia 4.3 21.9M Africa
129 🇲🇲 Myanmar 4.3 54.9M Asia
130 🇱🇷 Liberia 4.3 5.7M Africa
131 🇹🇬 Togo 4.3 9.7M Africa
132 🇲🇬 Madagascar 4.2 32.7M Africa
133 🇿🇲 Zambia 4.1 21.9M Africa
134 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka 4.0 23.2M Asia
135 🇪🇹 Ethiopia 4.0 135.5M Africa
136 🇰🇲 Comoros 3.9 883K Africa
137 🇸🇿 Eswatini 3.9 1.3M Africa
138 🇹🇿 Tanzania 3.9 70.5M Africa
139 🇪🇬 Egypt 3.9 118.4M Africa
140 🇨🇩 DR Congo 3.8 112.8M Africa
141 🇱🇧 Lebanon 3.7 5.8M Asia
142 🇾🇪 Yemen 3.5 41.8M Asia
143 🇧🇼 Botswana 3.5 2.6M Africa
144 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe 3.3 17.0M Africa
145 🇲🇼 Malawi 3.3 22.2M Africa
146 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone 3.3 8.8M Africa
147 🇦🇫 Afghanistan 1.4 43.8M Asia

Across all nations in the top 10, populations stood below 20 million, or well under it.

Mexico, meanwhile, stood as a clear outlier. Ranking in 12th globally, it not only holds a 131.9 million population, but it outranks several major economies like Germany and the UK which have significantly smaller populations.

Moreover, the U.S. (#23), Brazil (#32), and Vietnam (#45) are among the few large populations that rank in the top 50.

Happiness of the World’s Population Giants

With nearly a 1.5 billion population, India is the world’s most populous nation, but ranks 116th overall in happiness.

Covering 17% of the global population, India ranks below countries like Ukraine, Venezuela, and Iran. Despite strong economic growth, this has yet to translate into improved lived experience across its population.

China, the world’s second-most populous country, ranked significantly higher. In the past decade, its ranking has climbed from 79th to 65th, although it still remains lower than most other major economies.

Together, these population giants highlight a key reality: global happiness is shaped far more by where most people live than by which countries rank at the top.

While the happiest nations tend to dominate headlines, they represent only a small share of humanity. In contrast, billions of people live in countries where happiness levels are more moderate—or still developing—shifting the true center of global well-being away from the top of the rankings.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the countries with the highest and lowest life expectancy in the world.

How AI Could Add $600B to India’s Economy by 2035

2026-03-19 15:01:00

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The following content is sponsored by Adobe

How AI Could Add $600B to India’s Economy by 2035

   

Key Takeaways

  • AI could add up to $607B in productivity gains to India’s GDP by 2035, representing about 6% of the economy.
  •        
  • Manufacturing and agriculture will drive the majority of gains, accounting for over two-thirds of projected value creation.
  •        
  • Productivity gains could be a key economic lever, as AI enhances everyday processes across industries.
  •        

India’s AI boom is poised to reshape one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies. According to PwC, artificial intelligence could contribute between $550 billion and $607 billion to India’s GDP by 2035, equivalent to roughly 6% of total GDP.

This visualization, created in partnership with Adobe, explores how AI could unlock hundreds of billions in economic value across India’s key industries. The projected gains reflect not just technological innovation, but a broad productivity shift across foundational sectors of the economy.

AI‑powered productivity tools are driving this shift by streamlining everyday document workflows. They help teams analyze information faster, collaborate more efficiently, and turn data into decisions seamlessly.

Productivity Boost by Sector

Manufacturing is expected to see the largest gains, generating between $235.0 billion (low estimate) and $259.1 billion (high estimate) in value. From predictive maintenance to intelligent automation and supply chain optimization, AI could help Indian manufacturers increase output while lowering costs.

Sector Value Creation (high) ($ billions) Value Creation (low) ($ billions)
Agriculture 153.9 139.3
Education 77.6 70.2
Energy Utilities 84.6 76.6
Health 32.1 29.1
Manufacturing 259.1 235.0
Total 607.3 550.2

Agriculture follows closely behind, with $139.3–$153.9 billion in projected value creation. AI-driven crop monitoring, smarter irrigation, and advanced weather forecasting could significantly improve yields and reduce waste in a sector that employs millions.

Other sectors also stand to benefit:

  • Energy & Utilities: $76.6–$84.6 billion
  • Education: $70.2–$77.6 billion
  • Healthcare: $29.1–$32.1 billion

In the education sector, AI is streamlining administrative tasks, allowing teachers to focus on high-value activities that enhance student engagement and improve learning outcomes.

Altogether, these sector gains total between $550.2 and $607.3 billion by 2035.

The Productivity Revolution Starts Now

AI transformation doesn’t begin with futuristic robotics—it starts by improving everyday document workflows. Tasks like editing reports, reviewing scanned files, or updating PDFs are increasingly handled through browser‑based PDF tools that help simplify routine workflows and support faster decision‑making.

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Ranked: The World’s Happiest and Unhappiest Countries

2026-03-19 08:02:08

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app.

Stacked column ranking showing the happiest and unhappiest countries in the world in 2026.

Use This Visualization

Ranked: The World’s Happiest and Unhappiest Countries

See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

  • Finland ranks #1 with a score of 7.8, while Afghanistan ranks last at 1.4, highlighting a wide global gap in life satisfaction.
  • Nordic countries dominate the top rankings, while countries facing conflict and instability cluster at the bottom.
  • The U.S. ranks 23rd, continuing a long-term decline from its peak of 11th in 2011.

Every year, the World Happiness Report reveals where people feel most satisfied with their lives, and where they don’t.

This graphic uses data from the 2026 edition of the World Happiness Report to show the happiest and unhappiest countries in the world.

The report ranks 147 countries using data from the Gallup World Poll, where respondents score their lives on a scale from 0 to 10, known as the Cantril Ladder. The rankings are based on a three-year average from 2023 to 2025, offering a more stable snapshot of global well-being.

The Top 30 Happiest Countries in 2026

Finland ranks as the world’s happiest country as of the 2026 report, extending a streak that has lasted nine consecutive years.

Alongside Iceland and Denmark, it highlights that high trust in institutions and quality of life remain key drivers of well-being.

The data table below ranks the top 30 countries by their happiness score from the World Happiness Report 2026:

Rank Country Life evaluation
(3-year average)
1 🇫🇮 Finland 7.8
2 🇮🇸 Iceland 7.5
3 🇩🇰 Denmark 7.5
4 🇨🇷 Costa Rica 7.4
5 🇸🇪 Sweden 7.3
6 🇳🇴 Norway 7.2
7 🇳🇱 Netherlands 7.2
8 🇮🇱 Israel 7.2
9 🇱🇺 Luxembourg 7.1
10 🇨🇭 Switzerland 7.0
11 🇳🇿 New Zealand 7.0
12 🇲🇽 Mexico 7.0
13 🇮🇪 Ireland 6.9
14 🇧🇪 Belgium 6.9
15 🇦🇺 Australia 6.9
16 🇽🇰 Kosovo 6.9
17 🇩🇪 Germany 6.9
18 🇸🇮 Slovenia 6.9
19 🇦🇹 Austria 6.8
20 🇨🇿 Czechia 6.8
21 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates 6.8
22 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia 6.8
23 🇺🇸 United States 6.8
24 🇵🇱 Poland 6.8
25 🇨🇦 Canada 6.7
26 🇹🇼 Taiwan 6.7
27 🇧🇿 Belize 6.7
28 🇱🇹 Lithuania 6.7
29 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 6.7
30 🇷🇸 Serbia 6.7

Beyond Europe, Costa Rica and Mexico are notable standouts, ranking in the global top 10 and outperforming many wealthier nations. Costa Rica’s rise to fourth is the strongest recording ever for a Latin American nation, while Mexico has jumped to 12th spot up from 36th in 2022.

The U.S. ranks 23rd, one of its lowest positions on record.

This follows a broadly declining trend seen over the past 15 years. The U.S. ranked 11th in 2011, but by 2024 it had fallen down to its lowest ranking of 24th. A key driver is the sharp drop in well-being among younger Americans, often linked to rising social media use and declining mental health.

Elsewhere, Israel ranks eighth, making it the highest-ranked country in the Middle East, followed by the UAE (21st) and Saudi Arabia (22nd). In Asia, Taiwan stands out as the only country to make the global top 30, ranking 26th overall.

Which Countries Are the Least Happy?

Afghanistan ranks as the world’s unhappiest country, followed by Sierra Leone and Malawi.

For years, Afghanistan’s political instability, war, and restrictions on rights and freedoms has led to an increased sense of hopelessness. Over the course of the past decade, its score has dropped from 3.8 in 2016 to just 1.4.

The data table below ranks the bottom 30 countries by their happiness score from the World Happiness Report 2026:

Rank Canada Life evaluation
(3-year average)
1 🇦🇫 Afghanistan 1.4
2 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone 3.3
3 🇲🇼 Malawi 3.3
4 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe 3.3
5 🇧🇼 Botswana 3.5
6 🇾🇪 Yemen 3.5
7 🇱🇧 Lebanon 3.7
8 🇨🇩 DR Congo 3.8
9 🇪🇬 Egypt 3.9
10 🇹🇿 Tanzania 3.9
11 🇸🇿 Eswatini 3.9
12 🇰🇲 Comoros 3.9
13 🇪🇹 Ethiopia 4.0
14 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka 4.0
15 🇿🇲 Zambia 4.1
16 🇲🇬 Madagascar 4.2
17 🇹🇬 Togo 4.3
18 🇱🇷 Liberia 4.3
19 🇲🇲 Myanmar 4.3
20 🇬🇲 Gambia 4.3
21 🇧🇩 Bangladesh 4.3
22 🇱🇸 Lesotho 4.4
23 🇹🇩 Chad 4.4
24 🇧🇯 Benin 4.4
25 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso 4.5
26 🇨🇬 Congo 4.5
27 🇰🇭 Cambodia 4.5
28 🇲🇷 Mauritania 4.5
29 🇯🇴 Jordan 4.5
30 🇺🇬 Uganda 4.5

Myanmar also ranks among the least happy countries globally, as ongoing conflict between the military junta and rebel groups since 2021 has displaced millions and deepened a severe humanitarian crisis.

Political upheaval has also swept across other Asian countries, including Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, amid economic difficulties. In recent years, both countries have seen protests that led to the ousting of their leaders.

Ultimately, the global happiness rankings reveal a clear divide: countries with stability, strong institutions, and social support systems consistently rank highest, while those facing conflict and uncertainty continue to fall behind.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the countries where people live the longest.

Mapped: The Happiest Countries in the World

2026-03-19 08:01:25

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app.

Map showing the world happiness index by country in 2026.

Use This Visualization

Mapped: The Happiest Countries in the World

See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

  • Finland is once again the world’s happiest country, according to the World Happiness Report 2026.
  • Costa Rica places fourth globally, making it one of the report’s biggest standout performers.
  • Mexico, Kosovo, and the UAE also rank higher than many richer economies.

Finland tops the global happiness rankings once again, according to the World Happiness Report 2026. But beyond the familiar Nordic dominance, this year’s rankings include some standout surprises.

Costa Rica places fourth globally, while Mexico also ranks ahead of many wealthier nations. Together, these results show how social trust, community, and everyday quality of life can matter as much as income.

The map shows how happiness levels compare across countries worldwide.

Global Happiness Rankings by Country

Finland ranks first with a score of 7.8 out of 10, continuing its long-standing lead in global happiness.

The nation’s continued lead reinforces a broader trend: countries with strong institutions, high trust, and robust social safety nets consistently rank highest in life satisfaction.

Rank Country Happiness Score
1 🇫🇮 Finland 7.8
2 🇮🇸 Iceland 7.5
3 🇩🇰 Denmark 7.5
4 🇨🇷 Costa Rica 7.4
5 🇸🇪 Sweden 7.3
6 🇳🇴 Norway 7.2
7 🇳🇱 Netherlands 7.2
8 🇮🇱 Israel 7.2
9 🇱🇺 Luxembourg 7.1
10 🇨🇭 Switzerland 7.0
11 🇳🇿 New Zealand 7.0
12 🇲🇽 Mexico 7.0
13 🇮🇪 Ireland 6.9
14 🇧🇪 Belgium 6.9
15 🇦🇺 Australia 6.9
16 🇽🇰 Kosovo 6.9
17 🇩🇪 Germany 6.9
18 🇸🇮 Slovenia 6.9
19 🇦🇹 Austria 6.8
20 🇨🇿 Czechia 6.8
21 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates 6.8
22 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia 6.8
23 🇺🇸 United States 6.8
24 🇵🇱 Poland 6.8
25 🇨🇦 Canada 6.7
26 🇹🇼 Taiwan 6.7
27 🇧🇿 Belize 6.7
28 🇱🇹 Lithuania 6.7
29 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 6.7
30 🇷🇸 Serbia 6.7
31 🇺🇾 Uruguay 6.6
32 🇧🇷 Brazil 6.6
33 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan 6.6
34 🇷🇴 Romania 6.6
35 🇫🇷 France 6.6
36 🇸🇬 Singapore 6.6
37 🇸🇻 El Salvador 6.6
38 🇮🇹 Italy 6.6
39 🇵🇦 Panama 6.5
40 🇰🇼 Kuwait 6.5
41 🇪🇸 Spain 6.5
42 🇬🇹 Guatemala 6.5
43 🇲🇹 Malta 6.4
44 🇦🇷 Argentina 6.4
45 🇻🇳 Viet Nam 6.4
46 🇪🇪 Estonia 6.4
47 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina 6.4
48 🇱🇻 Latvia 6.4
49 🇯🇲 Jamaica 6.3
50 🇨🇱 Chile 6.3
51 🇳🇮 Nicaragua 6.3
52 🇹🇭 Thailand 6.3
53 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan 6.3
54 🇸🇰 Slovakia 6.3
55 🇧🇭 Bahrain 6.3
56 🇵🇭 Philippines 6.2
57 🇵🇾 Paraguay 6.2
58 🇴🇲 Oman 6.2
59 🇪🇨 Ecuador 6.1
60 🇲🇪 Montenegro 6.1
61 🇯🇵 Japan 6.1
62 🇨🇾 Cyprus 6.1
63 🇭🇳 Honduras 6.1
64 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic 6.1
65 🇨🇳 China 6.1
66 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan 6.0
67 🇰🇷 Republic of Korea 6.0
68 🇨🇴 Colombia 6.0
69 🇵🇹 Portugal 6.0
70 🇭🇷 Croatia 6.0
71 🇲🇾 Malaysia 6.0
72 🇵🇪 Peru 6.0
73 🇲🇺 Mauritius 5.9
74 🇭🇺 Hungary 5.9
75 🇲🇳 Mongolia 5.9
76 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago 5.9
77 🇲🇩 Republic of Moldova 5.9
78 🇧🇴 Bolivia 5.8
79 🇷🇺 Russian Federation 5.8
80 🇻🇪 Venezuela 5.8
81 🇱🇾 Libya 5.7
82 🇲🇰 North Macedonia 5.7
83 🇩🇿 Algeria 5.7
84 🇧🇬 Bulgaria 5.7
85 🇬🇷 Greece 5.7
86 🇦🇱 Albania 5.7
87 🇮🇩 Indonesia 5.6
88 🇹🇯 Tajikistan 5.6
89 🇦🇲 Armenia 5.6
90 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR 5.6
91 🇬🇪 Georgia 5.5
92 🇱🇦 Lao PDR 5.5
93 🇲🇿 Mozambique 5.3
94 🇹🇷 Türkiye 5.3
95 🇮🇶 Iraq 5.2
96 🇬🇦 Gabon 5.2
97 🇮🇷 Iran 5.2
98 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire 5.1
99 🇳🇵 Nepal 5.1
100 🇨🇲 Cameroon 5.1
101 🇿🇦 South Africa 5.0
102 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan 5.0
103 🇳🇪 Niger 4.9
104 🇵🇰 Pakistan 4.9
105 🇹🇳 Tunisia 4.8
106 🇳🇬 Nigeria 4.8
107 🇸🇳 Senegal 4.8
108 🇳🇦 Namibia 4.8
109 🇵🇸 State of Palestine 4.7
110 🇰🇪 Kenya 4.7
111 🇺🇦 Ukraine 4.7
112 🇲🇦 Morocco 4.6
113 🇬🇳 Guinea 4.6
114 🇲🇱 Mali 4.6
115 🇬🇭 Ghana 4.6
116 🇮🇳 India 4.5
117 🇸🇴 Somalia 4.5
118 🇺🇬 Uganda 4.5
119 🇯🇴 Jordan 4.5
120 🇲🇷 Mauritania 4.5
121 🇰🇭 Cambodia 4.5
122 🇨🇬 Congo 4.5
123 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso 4.5
124 🇧🇯 Benin 4.4
125 🇹🇩 Chad 4.4
126 🇱🇸 Lesotho 4.4
127 🇧🇩 Bangladesh 4.3
128 🇬🇲 Gambia 4.3
129 🇲🇲 Myanmar 4.3
130 🇱🇷 Liberia 4.3
131 🇹🇬 Togo 4.3
132 🇲🇬 Madagascar 4.2
133 🇿🇲 Zambia 4.1
134 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka 4.0
135 🇪🇹 Ethiopia 4.0
136 🇰🇲 Comoros 3.9
137 🇸🇿 Eswatini 3.9
138 🇹🇿 Tanzania 3.9
139 🇪🇬 Egypt 3.9
140 🇨🇩 DR Congo 3.8
141 🇱🇧 Lebanon 3.7
142 🇾🇪 Yemen 3.5
143 🇧🇼 Botswana 3.5
144 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe 3.3
145 🇲🇼 Malawi 3.3
146 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone 3.3
147 🇦🇫 Afghanistan 1.4

Nordic nations, in particular, combine relatively high incomes with low inequality, accessible public services, and strong social cohesion, factors associated with self-reported well-being.

Costa Rica (4th) and Mexico (12th) stand out as notable examples, ranking well above many higher-income countries like Ireland, Australia, and Germany. Their performance highlights the role of social connection, community, and lifestyle factors not fully captured by GDP.

How Happiness Rankings Are Calculated

The report uses the Cantril ladder (a scale from 0 to 10) to capture life satisfaction across 147 countries and a sample size greater than 100,000 people. Scores are averaged from 2023 to 2025 to better capture happiness and well being, and to reduce sampling error.

Economic and Regional Trends in Country Happiness

High income doesn’t always translate into higher life satisfaction rankings.

Many advanced economies—including the U.S., Canada, the UK, and much of Western Europe—fall within a narrow band of scores between 6.7 and 6.9. While still high by global standards, this clustering suggests that life satisfaction has plateaued across wealthier nations.

At the same time, key countries in Eastern Europe, such as Poland and Estonia, are steadily climbing the rankings, pointing to improving living standards and social conditions.

Across Asia, Taiwan ranks as the region’s happiest country at 26th place, well ahead of Japan (61st) and China (65th). In Africa, Mauritius leads the continent, supported by relatively low corruption and high life expectancy.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the top 30 countries by quality of life.

U.S. States Winning and Losing Data Center Market Share

2026-03-18 23:55:00

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The following content is sponsored by National Public Utilities Council

U.S. States Winning and Losing Data Center Market Share

Key Takeaways

  • Texas (+142%) is expected to have the largest increase of data center market share, while Nebraska (-75%) loses the most by 2028.
  • Virginia (-35%) is the largest data center market in the world and is expected to lose over a third of its relative market share despite absolute growth by 2028.
  • The rest of the U.S. (+21%) will gain market share while select legacy markets like California (-50%) and Oregon (-67%) lose.

Demand for new data centers is soaring across the United States. By 2028, the projected growth of total U.S. load capacity for data centers is about 150 GW.

That’s nearly double the 80 GW capacity from 2025 and the equivalent of 75 Hoover Dams worth of power demand.

In response, new growth is shifting to places where power is cheaper, faster to secure, and easier to expand.

This graphic, in partnership with the National Public Utilities Council, shows which U.S. states may win or lose data center market share by 2028. It uses data from Bloom Energy’s 2026 Data Center Power Report.

Redrawing the Data Center Market Map

Power availability, or lack of it, is redrawing the traditional map of U.S. data centers.

The table below shows the expected change in U.S. data center market share among the top markets in 2025 to 2028:

U.S. State Expected Change (%)
Texas 142
Georgia 75
Rest of U.S. 21
Arizona 0
Ohio -17
Illinois -25
Virginia -35
California -50
Iowa -60
Oregon -67
Nebraska -75

Here, market share means each state’s slice of the overall U.S. market. Expected change is how much that slice will increase or decrease over time.

Everything is Bigger in Texas

By 2028, Texas has the largest expected growth of any U.S. state with an increase of 142%. This is an addition of over 40 GW, or about 30% of the total projected U.S. capacity of 150 GW.

This means that in two years the Lone Star State will grow the most and control the most in terms of U.S. market share.

Following Texas is Georgia (+75%) with the second-largest gain while the rest of the U.S. will grow by 21% overall.

The geographic shift in growth suggests that developers are moving future growth away from legacy markets towards the Southeast.

Legacy Markets: Falling from Grace

Unlike the Southeast, many legacy markets are losing market share. The largest expected loss is Nebraska (-75%), followed by Oregon (-67%), then Iowa (-60%).

Most notable declines may be in California (-50%) and Virginia (-35%), two states tied closely to data centers.

California is home to Silicon Valley, the HQ hub for many of the tech companies driving the data center market forward, like Apple, Meta, and Google.

Virginia is currently the largest data center market in the world and home to 35% of the world’s known hyperscale data centers.

Despite growth in absolute terms, market share decline is expected in both states. This indicates developers are turning to new regions with fewer grid constraints for future expansion.

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Questions about powering gigawatt-scale data centers? Contact NPUC

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Mapped: Life Expectancy by U.S. State

2026-03-18 22:35:32

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app.

U.S. map of the average life expectancy by state using data from the CDC.

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Mapped: Life Expectancy by U.S. State

See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

  • Hawaii had the highest life expectancy in the U.S. at 80.0 years, while West Virginia ranked lowest at 72.2 years.
  • The national average was 77.5 years, but more than half of states (28) fell below that mark.
  • The gap between the highest- and lowest-ranked states was 7.8 years.

Life expectancy varies widely across the U.S., with clear regional patterns emerging in the latest data.

States in the Northeast and on the West Coast tend to have higher life expectancies, while many in the South and Appalachia rank lower.

This map shows these differences using data from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, based on 2022 life tables published in December 2025, the latest publicly available state-level figures as of March 2026.

The CDC’s report uses period life tables, which estimate how long a hypothetical group would live if it experienced the death rates observed in 2022 at every age. In other words, the measure captures current mortality conditions in each state, not a forecast for babies born there today.

Where Americans Live the Longest, and the Shortest

Among the 50 states and D.C., Hawaii had the highest life expectancy at birth in 2022 at 80.0 years. Massachusetts followed at 79.8, with New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut close behind.

The data table below shows the life expectancy of every U.S. state and D.C.:

Rank State Life Expectancy (Years)
1 Hawaii 80.0
2 Massachusetts 79.8
3 New Jersey 79.6
4 New York 79.5
5 Connecticut 79.4
6 California 79.3
7 Minnesota 79.3
8 Rhode Island 79.2
9 Utah 79.0
10 New Hampshire 78.7
11 Colorado 78.5
12 Idaho 78.4
13 Washington 78.4
14 Nebraska 78.3
15 Vermont 78.3
16 Wisconsin 78.1
17 North Dakota 77.9
18 Iowa 77.9
19 Florida 77.9
20 Maryland 77.8
21 Oregon 77.7
22 Illinois 77.5
23 Virginia 77.5
24 Pennsylvania 77.3
25 South Dakota 77.3
26 Montana 77.3
27 Texas 77.1
28 Wyoming 76.8
29 Michigan 76.8
30 Arizona 76.7
31 Maine 76.6
32 District of Columbia 76.6
33 Delaware 76.5
34 Kansas 76.5
35 Nevada 76.4
36 Georgia 75.9
37 North Carolina 75.9
38 Alaska 75.8
39 Ohio 75.6
40 Indiana 75.4
41 Missouri 75.2
42 South Carolina 75.1
43 New Mexico 74.5
44 Arkansas 73.9
45 Oklahoma 73.8
46 Tennessee 73.8
47 Alabama 73.8
48 Louisiana 73.8
49 Kentucky 73.6
50 Mississippi 72.6
51 West Virginia 72.2

On the other end of the ranking, West Virginia came in last at 72.2 years, behind Mississippi at 72.6 and Kentucky at 73.6.

The broad pattern is regional: the Northeast and West Coast have higher life expectancies, while many Southern and Appalachian states cluster at the bottom.

Why the National Average Misses the State Divide

While the national average is 77.5 years, only 21 states cleared that mark. Illinois and Virginia matched it exactly, and the remaining 28 states came in below it.

The CDC also found that females had higher life expectancy than males in every state and D.C., but the size of that gender gap varied widely. States on the lower end of life expectancy tended to have larger divides, while higher-ranked states had smaller gaps.

For example, New Mexico (ninth-lowest life expectancy at 74.5) recorded the largest female-male gap at 6.9 years, while Utah (ninth-highest at 79 years) had the smallest at 3.6 years.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Why Living Longer Isn’t Always Living Healthier on Voronoi.