The war in Ukraine affects us all. If I were to count the number of times I have written this sentence in my journalistic career, I would not have enough fingers. While in some countries people are becoming more and more aware of the effects of the war, in other countries the population tries to think more positively and not acknowledge the problems so much. And I think that’s the right way to go: If you can, you should think positively and try to live a happy life. Germany is an example of how to do that even in difficult times.

Although this country has also been affected economically by the world conflicts, according to surveys, the majority of its inhabitants now feel happy. As of 2025, the average life satisfaction in Germany is 7.09 out of 10. According to the survey, as many as 48 percent of respondents said they are now very satisfied with their situation and that of the country in general. But in which areas of Germany do people live best?

Hamburg at the top

The survey shows that residents of Hamburg feel the most satisfied, scoring a total of 7.33 out of 10. The area is relatively affluent and people here do not suffer from a lack of money, but neither do they face extreme prices. The city provides people with everything they need, both entertainment-wise and practically. Similar is the case in the other areas that ranked close behind. They are:

  • Bavaria (7.21),
  • Rhineland-Palatinate (7.21),
  • North Rhine-Westphalia (7.19)
  • Schleswig-Holstein ( 7.12)

By contrast, the lowest scores according to the survey were:

  • Bremen (6.89),
  • Berlin (6.83),
  • Saarland ( 6.78)
  • Mecklenburg-Vorpommern ( 6.06)

However, this is still a relatively high score given the world situation. In addition, Germans are generally a fairly educated nation and most of them are aware of the threats. This is more a positive attitude than ignorance or disinterest in the facts. The economist Bernd Raffelhüschen literally says that Germans’ life satisfaction has ‘stabilised at a high level’, which suggests that it is not a question of ignorance of the risks, but rather the ability to maintain a positive assessment of life even in uncertain times.

Despite the tensions in Europe, people in Germany are happy. However, they are happier in some areas than in others. ━━ Despite the tensions in Europe, people in Germany are happy. However, they are happier in some areas than in others. ( Source: Kankan /  Unsplash+ )

Less money, less fun

While Germans’ satisfaction is generally rising, it has fallen slightly in some areas. For example, in terms of income. According to the survey, the country’s residents rate it at 6.60 out of 10, 0.21 points lower than in the previous year. “It is particularly noteworthy that this decline is occurring exclusively among lower-income groups,” experts say. Average satisfaction with leisure (7.20 points) is also lower overall than in 2010. This is mainly due to the rising cost of leisure activities.

In the last section, the survey looked at the emotions of the German population. It showed that the country is becoming more emotional overall. In fact, more than 30% of people said that they feel anger or other strongly negative emotions quite often. This may again, from my point of view, be linked to the fact that we all perceive war in the world. And despite our efforts to push it away and enjoy life, it affects us internally.