Wellbeing; education and labour, 2003-2012

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Personal characteristics Periods Happiness Not happy (%) Happiness Happy (%) Satisfaction with life Not satisfied with life (%) Satisfaction with life Satisfied with life (%)
Total population 2003 9 91 10 90
2004 9 91 11 89
2005 10 90 11 89
2006 9 91 12 88
2007 9 91 10 90
2008 9 91 10 90
2009 9 91 11 89
2010 old method 10 90 11 89
2010 new method 13 87 13 87
2012 15 85 15 85
Gender: male 2003 9 91 10 90
2004 9 91 11 89
2005 10 90 11 89
2006 8 92 11 89
2007 9 91 10 90
2008 9 91 9 91
2009 8 92 10 90
2010 old method 9 91 11 89
2010 new method 11 89 12 88
2012 16 84 16 84
Gender: female 2003 9 91 11 89
2004 10 90 11 89
2005 10 90 11 89
2006 10 90 13 87
2007 9 91 10 90
2008 9 91 11 89
2009 9 91 11 89
2010 old method 11 89 11 89
2010 new method 15 85 14 86
2012 14 86 15 85
Age: 18 to 35 years 2003 8 92 10 90
2004 8 92 11 89
2005 10 90 12 88
2006 7 93 11 89
2007 8 92 9 91
2008 7 93 9 91
2009 8 92 10 90
2010 old method 7 93 8 92
2010 new method 11 89 12 88
2012 11 89 13 87
Age: 35 to 50 years 2003 10 90 11 89
2004 9 91 11 89
2005 10 90 11 89
2006 10 90 13 87
2007 8 92 11 89
2008 11 89 12 88
2009 9 91 12 88
2010 old method 11 89 13 87
2010 new method 13 87 13 87
2012 13 87 16 84
Age: 50 to 65 years 2003 11 89 10 90
2004 11 89 11 89
2005 11 89 12 88
2006 11 89 11 89
2007 11 89 10 90
2008 9 91 9 91
2009 9 91 9 91
2010 old method 12 88 12 88
2010 new method 15 85 14 86
2012 20 80 18 82
Age: 65 years or older 2003 15 85 10 90
2004 15 85 8 92
2005 . . . .
2006 . . . .
2007 . . . .
2008 . . . .
2009 . . . .
2010 old method . . . .
2010 new method . . . .
2012 . . . .
Origin: Native Dutch background 2003 8 92 9 91
2004 8 92 10 90
2005 8 92 10 90
2006 8 92 10 90
2007 8 92 9 91
2008 7 93 9 91
2009 7 93 9 91
2010 old method 8 92 10 90
2010 new method 12 88 12 88
2012 14 86 14 86
Origin: western country 2003 13 87 12 88
2004 11 89 13 87
2005 14 86 14 86
2006 13 87 15 85
2007 10 90 13 87
2008 14 86 14 86
2009 9 91 15 85
2010 old method 16 84 17 83
2010 new method 17 83 16 84
2012 15 85 19 81
Origin: Foreign non-western background 2003 22 78 21 79
2004 19 81 21 79
2005 24 76 22 78
2006 15 85 23 77
2007 16 84 11 89
2008 19 81 16 84
2009 19 81 22 78
2010 old method 20 80 16 84
2010 new method 19 81 16 84
2012 . . . .
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 the highest completed level of education and a number of labour-related characteristics, that is socio-economic category and main source of income for the household. 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 who responded ‘fairly satisfied’ or ‘not very satisfied’ to the question ‘To what extent 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 extent are you satisfied with the life you’re currently living?’.