Share of people who say they are satisfied with their life in Belgium

Belgium: Share of people who say they are satisfied with their life was 91.5% in 2016. ▬ Flat

Latest (2016)
91.5%
Change on year
up 2.3%
World rank
11th
of 34 countries
All-time high
92.0%
in 1973
All-time low
77.6%
in 1986
Years of data
42
1973–2016

Share of people who say they are satisfied with their life in Belgium, 1973–2016

0204060801001973199420161973: 92 %1975: 88.9 %1976: 89.7 %1977: 89.7 %1978: 88.6 %1979: 89.5 %1980: 88.5 %1981: 84.4 %1982: 81.8 %1983: 81.6 %1984: 78.9 %1985: 82.5 %1986: 77.6 %1987: 82.9 %1988: 79 %1989: 85.6 %1990: 87.6 %1991: 89.3 %1992: 88.8 %1993: 86.3 %1994: 86 %1996: 85.9 %1997: 78.3 %1998: 79 %1999: 83.4 %2000: 83.3 %2001: 84.8 %2002: 81.8 %2003: 82.6 %2004: 90.6 %2005: 88.6 %2006: 90.6 %2007: 89.5 %2008: 86.9 %2009: 90.4 %2010: 88.6 %2011: 89.3 %2012: 89.4 %2013: 92 %2014: 91.4 %2015: 89.5 %2016: 91.5 %

Source: Eurobarometer (2017) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2016, share of people who say they are satisfied with their life in Belgium stood at 91.5%.

The figure is up 2.3% on the previous year and up 1.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of people who say they are satisfied with their life in Belgium peaked at 92.0% in 1973 and was at its lowest, 77.6%, in 1986.

Belgium ranks 11th of 34 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Share of people who say they are satisfied with their life in Belgium, year by year

Annual values for Share of people who say they are satisfied with their life in Belgium, 1973 to 2016.
Year % Change
1973 92.0%
1975 88.9% -3.4%
1976 89.7% +0.9%
1977 89.7% -0.0%
1978 88.6% -1.2%
1979 89.5% +1.0%
1980 88.5% -1.1%
1981 84.4% -4.6%
1982 81.8% -3.0%
1983 81.6% -0.3%
1984 78.9% -3.3%
1985 82.5% +4.5%
1986 77.6% -6.0%
1987 82.9% +6.8%
1988 79.0% -4.7%
1989 85.6% +8.3%
1990 87.6% +2.3%
1991 89.3% +2.0%
1992 88.8% -0.6%
1993 86.3% -2.9%
1994 86.0% -0.4%
1996 85.9% -0.1%
1997 78.3% -8.8%
1998 79.0% +0.8%
1999 83.4% +5.7%
2000 83.3% -0.2%
2001 84.8% +1.7%
2002 81.8% -3.5%
2003 82.6% +1.0%
2004 90.6% +9.6%
2005 88.6% -2.1%
2006 90.6% +2.2%
2007 89.5% -1.2%
2008 86.9% -2.9%
2009 90.4% +4.1%
2010 88.6% -2.0%
2011 89.3% +0.8%
2012 89.4% +0.1%
2013 92.0% +2.9%
2014 91.4% -0.7%
2015 89.5% -2.1%
2016 91.5% +2.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 89.7% 88.6% 92.0% 6
1980s 82.3% 77.6% 88.5% 10
1990s 85.0% 78.3% 89.3% 9
2000s 86.9% 81.8% 90.6% 10
2010s 90.2% 88.6% 92.0% 7

Countries ranked near Belgium

  1. 8 Norway 94.0% compare
  2. 9 Malta 93.5% compare
  3. 10 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 93.1% compare
  4. 12 Germany 90.3% compare
  5. 13 Slovenia 88.5% compare
  6. 14 Czechia 86.1% compare

See the full ranking of 34 places →

More reference data data for Belgium

All data for Belgium →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of people who say they are satisfied with their life in Belgium?
Share of people who say they are satisfied with their life in Belgium was 91.5% in 2016, according to Eurobarometer (2017) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of people who say they are satisfied with their life recorded in Belgium?
The highest recorded value was 92.0% in 1973.
What is the lowest share of people who say they are satisfied with their life recorded in Belgium?
The lowest recorded value was 77.6% in 1986.
How does Belgium rank for share of people who say they are satisfied with their life?
Belgium ranks 11th out of 34 countries with data for 2016.
Is share of people who say they are satisfied with their life rising or falling in Belgium?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Belgium data come from?
The figures come from Eurobarometer (2017) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of people who say they are satisfied with their life. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of people who say they are satisfied with their life in Belgium. Statizoid, drawing on Eurobarometer (2017) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-people-who-say-they-are-happy-eurobarometer/belgium/

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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?"