Hong Kongers Are the Least Happy People in the Developed World

In 2024, the United Nations published its Human Development Programme, which measures human development in countries and territories around the world. With a score of 0.956, Hong Kong was ranked as the fourth most developed territory in the world, only behind Switzerland, Norway, and Iceland.

However, in 2024, the same United Nations published its World Happiness Report. With a score of 5.316, Hong Kong ranked 86th out of 143 countries and territories. That is, far behind Mainland China, which ranked 60th; and well behind Singapore, its main competitor as Asia’s World City, which ranked 30th.

This trend was confirmed in 2025, as Hong Kong further dropped to the 88th spot in the World Happiness Report, behind North Macedonia and tied with Armenia, both of which are considered developing countries.

In fact, only underdeveloped and developing countries constantly rank lower than Hong Kong in the World Happiness ranking, making Hong Kong the least happy among developed countries and/or territories.

To make matters worse, on a year-to-year basis, Hong Kong continues to decline in the World Happiness Report. From ranking 81st in 2022, the city dropped to 82nd in 2023, 86th in 2024, and 88th in 2025.

Sadly, the youth suicide rates recorded in Hong Kong—one of the highest in the developed world—confirm this trend.