Netherlands vs Sweden: Share of people who say they are satisfied with their life

Netherlands
96.5%
in 2016
Sweden
96.2%
in 2016
Netherlands rank
3rd
Sweden rank
4th

Share of people who say they are satisfied with their life over time

  • Netherlands
  • Sweden
020406080100197319942016

How they compare

Netherlands currently reports 96.5% against 96.2% in Sweden, a difference of 0.3%.

The two have swapped places 7 times across 21 shared years of data; in 1996 it was Sweden ahead.

Netherlands ranks 3rd and Sweden ranks 4th of 34 countries.

Sweden has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Netherlands Sweden Difference Ahead
1990s 93.4% 94.3% 0.9% Sweden
2000s 94.1% 95.2% 1.1% Sweden
2010s 95.4% 96.4% 0.9% Sweden

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher share of people who say they are satisfied with their life, Netherlands or Sweden?
Netherlands, at 96.5% against 96.2% in Sweden as of 2016.
What is the difference in share of people who say they are satisfied with their life between Netherlands and Sweden?
0.3%, with Netherlands ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Netherlands and Sweden?
21 years are reported by both, from 1996 to 2016.
How do Netherlands and Sweden rank globally for share of people who say they are satisfied with their life?
Netherlands ranks 3rd and Sweden ranks 4th of 34 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Eurobarometer (2017) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Share of people who say they are satisfied with their life. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Netherlands vs Sweden: Share of people who say they are satisfied with their life. Statizoid, drawing on Eurobarometer (2017) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/share-of-people-who-say-they-are-happy-eurobarometer/netherlands/sweden/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of people who say they are satisfied with their life
Unit
%
Source
Eurobarometer (2017) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
34 places, 751 data points, 1973–2016
Last refreshed

Share of people answering "very satisfied" or "fairly satisfied" to the question "On the whole, are you very satisfied, fairly satisfied, not very satisfied, or not at all satisfied with the life you lead?"