I question the methodology and results of this, though for opposite reasons from all the disgruntled folks commenting at the end. This study uses an approach typical of think tanks, interest groups and foundations. There are six indicators lumped together to measure happiness. There are problems of definition. For example, freedom has been used in so many different ways as to almost become meaningless. They could use it to mean however they want to get the result they want. Some indicators essentially are tautological. If you are going to use gross domestic product per capita as a measure of happiness, then obviously you are going to conclude from your study that countries with higher GDP per capita are happier.
The biggest problem with these multiple indicator studies is variance trumps validity. There could be one indicator that truly relates to happiness more than others. In this case I would say life expectancy is the best indicator of the bunch. Emotional, physical and brain health all are tightly linked. Also, life expectancy is what it is, not whatever one might want it to be like "freedom." Yet the variance on life expectancy, particularly on the higher end, is no where near the spread as for GDP. Thus you have a result where the United States ranks 43rd on life expectancy (yes, that's right, 43rd), yet ranks 14th for happiness in this study.
In other words, this study likely overestimates the happiness of US citizens ... and one only needs to visit a fan forum for the most successful team in the history of wcbb for substantiating evidence.
