Wellbeing; material living conditions, 2003-2012

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Material living conditions All Periods Happiness Not happy (%) Happiness Happy (%) Satisfaction with life Not satisfied with life (%) Satisfaction with life Satisfied with life (%)
Total of material living conditions 2003 11 89 12 88
2004 11 89 12 88
2005 11 89 12 88
2006 10 90 12 88
2007 11 89 12 88
2008 10 90 11 89
2009 10 90 11 89
2010 old method 11 89 12 88
2010 new method 15 85 15 85
2012 16 84 16 84
Income level: 1st 25%-group 2003 18 82 19 81
2004 17 83 19 81
2005 19 81 21 79
2006 17 83 20 80
2007 20 80 20 80
2008 18 82 19 81
2009 18 82 21 79
2010 old method 19 81 22 78
2010 new method 26 74 27 73
2012 23 77 22 78
Income level: 2nd 25%-group 2003 14 86 14 86
2004 13 87 13 86
2005 14 86 14 86
2006 13 87 14 86
2007 12 88 13 87
2008 12 88 13 87
2009 13 87 13 87
2010 old method 14 86 17 83
2010 new method 16 84 16 84
2012 18 82 19 81
Income level: 3rd 25%-group 2003 10 90 11 89
2004 10 90 11 89
2005 9 91 11 89
2006 10 90 11 89
2007 10 90 11 89
2008 8 92 10 90
2009 9 91 10 90
2010 old method 10 90 11 89
2010 new method 13 87 13 87
2012 15 85 15 85
Income level: 4th 25%-group 2003 7 93 8 92
2004 8 92 8 92
2005 8 92 8 92
2006 6 94 7 93
2007 6 94 8 92
2008 7 93 6 94
2009 6 94 7 93
2010 old method 6 94 5 95
2010 new method 11 89 9 91
2012 11 89 10 90
Holidays: none 2003 19 81 20 80
2004 20 80 19 80
2005 19 81 20 80
2006 18 82 19 81
2007 20 80 20 80
2008 20 80 21 79
2009 20 80 20 80
2010 old method 23 77 21 79
2010 new method 27 73 25 75
2012 . . . .
Holidays: once 2003 10 90 11 89
2004 10 90 11 89
2005 10 90 13 87
2006 10 90 12 88
2007 10 90 11 89
2008 10 90 10 90
2009 10 90 11 89
2010 old method 9 91 14 86
2010 new method 15 85 15 85
2012 . . . .
Holidays: more than once 2003 7 93 8 92
2004 7 93 8 92
2005 7 93 7 93
2006 6 94 7 93
2007 6 94 7 93
2008 5 95 6 94
2009 5 95 6 94
2010 old method 6 94 7 93
2010 new method 8 92 8 92
2012 . . . .
Housing: own home 2003 8 92 9 91
2004 8 92 9 91
2005 8 92 9 91
2006 8 92 8 92
2007 7 93 8 92
2008 7 93 8 92
2009 7 93 8 92
2010 old method 8 92 9 91
2010 new method 12 88 11 89
2012 12 88 12 88
Housing: rented with rent subsidy 2003 25 75 25 75
2004 24 76 24 75
2005 28 72 27 73
2006 24 76 27 73
2007 30 70 28 72
2008 25 75 28 72
2009 28 72 31 69
2010 old method 28 72 31 69
2010 new method 30 70 32 68
2012 29 71 33 67
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


This table contains information on the wellbeing of the Dutch population aged 18 years and older in terms of happiness and satisfaction with life. These subjects are broken down by various characteristics of material living conditions, i.e. standardised income, frequency of holidays and living situation. The data are also broken down by personal characteristics, that is gender, age and origin. The data are based on the Health Interview Survey (POLS, 2003-2009), the Voluntary Work and Social Cohesion module (V&S, 2010 old method), the Social Cohesion and Well-being survey (SocSam, 2010 new method, 2012) and the Social Statistics Database (SSB). Data on household income and living situation from the SSB were added to POLS data for the years 2003 up to and including 2009. From 2010 onwards data were supplemented with the SSB data from the previous year.

Data available from 2003 till 2012.

Status of the figures:
The figures in this table are definite.

Changes as of 16 January 2015:
This table has been discontinued.

Changes as of 16-12-2013:
In 2010 the survey was redesigned. As a consequence, statistics from 2010 onwards are not completely comparable to statistics from previous years. For 2010 there are statistics based on both the old as well as the new method. More information on the redesign can be found in paragraph 4.

When will new figures be published?
Not applicable.

Description topics

Happiness
Not happy
Share of the population who responded ‘not happy, not unhappy’, ‘not very happy’ or ‘unhappy’ to the question ‘To what extent do you consider yourself a happy person?’.

Happy
Share of the population who responded ‘happy’ or ‘very happy’ to the question ‘To what extent do you consider yourself a happy person?’.

Satisfaction with life
Not satisfied with life
Share of the population that responded ‘fairly satisfied’ or ‘not so satisfied’ to the question ‘to what extend are you satisfied with the life you’re currently living?’.
Satisfied with life
Share of the population that responded ‘satisfied’, ‘very satisfied’ or ‘exceptionally satisfied’ to the question ‘to what extend are you satisfied with the life you’re currently living?’.