Finland is 'World's Happiest Country' for eighth consecutive year

April 2, 2025

Finland has continued its eight-year streak as 'World's Happiest Country', with capital Helsinki showcasing how inclusive outdoor gyms, community initiatives and participatory budgeting are creating spaces for all to thrive. Olivia Palamountain reports

Finland has secured its position as the world's happiest nation for the eighth year running, according to the latest UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network's World Happiness Report.

The Nordic country achieved an average happiness score of 7.7 out of 10 in the 2025 report, which this year focused particularly on "Caring & Sharing" - examining how social support, trust and community contribute to long-term wellbeing.

Helsinki, the Finnish capital, exemplifies the foundations of this consistent happiness ranking through its emphasis on community cohesion, social trust and access to nature - factors that researchers found to be stronger predictors of happiness than wealth or health alone.The city prioritises active lifestyles, offering 34 public beaches, 21 winter swimming locations, 13 ice rinks, 16 swimming pools, 812 indoor sports facilities, and 92 dog parks. An extensive 1,300-kilometre network of cycling paths makes outdoor activity accessible year-round.

Helsinki also has a network of inclusive outdoor Omnigyms - free, always-open fitness facilities spread throughout the city. These gyms, featuring adjustable weights suitable for all fitness levels and abilities, are strategically placed near green and blue spaces, making them easily accessible by foot or bicycle.

Due to their overwhelming popularity, the city plans to double the number of outdoor gyms by 2032, with the goal of ensuring they are accessible within a 15-minute bike ride, and eventually within walking distance, for all residents.Helsinki's commitment to inclusion extends to its educational system, with almost all schools publicly funded and following a neighbourhood school principle that ensures children attend their closest local school regardless of family background or income. Urban planning focuses on preventing segregation through mixed housing and inclusive public services.

Safety, too, contributes to the city's happiness metrics, with 76% of residents reporting feeling safe in their neighbourhoods even on weekend evenings, according to 2021 data. Additionally, nearly 71% of Helsinki residents report feeling at least fairly healthy, and 46% feel happy at least fairly often.

The city maintains reliable public services through municipal taxation, with 80% of Helsinki's expenses covered by tax revenues - ensuring continued access to quality infrastructure and community services that support residents' wellbeing.
Community engagement is woven into Finnish culture through various traditions, from neighbourhood cleanup events known as "talkoot" to local celebrations such as the Käpylän Kyläjuhla and Kallio Block Party festivals. The Roihuvuori Hanami Festival, which celebrates spring under cherry blossoms, and Siivouspäivä, a Helsinki-born concept allowing anyone to set up street market stalls, further demonstrate this communal spirit.

Juhana Vartiainen, the mayor of Helsinki, highlights the city's participatory approach to civic life: "One way Helsinki strengthens its sense of community is through OmaStadi, the city's participatory budgeting initiative. It gives residents the opportunity to directly influence how public funds are spent – by proposing ideas and voting on projects that improve their own neighbourhoods."

Through the OmaStadi initiative, residents can participate in allocating public funds (8.8 million euros in 2024) towards projects that reflect local values such as increasing access to nature, improving outdoor activity spaces, and fostering community.
The Finnish sauna tradition serves as another example of the country's social cohesion, creating spaces where "strangers become neighbours, conversations often require no words, and today, it's just as common to sit beside a visitor as a lifelong local," according to the report.

Vartiainen also points to the city's public infrastructure as central to its happiness: "Here, happiness is quietly built into everyday life. And while it may not always show on our faces, it's there in the way life works, in the way people come together, and in the spaces we share," she says. "A good example of this is the Oodi Central Library – a public space where people of all ages and backgrounds gather to read, work, play, or simply spend time. In 2022, the Oodi library had nearly 1.82 million visits."