Wellbeing; material living conditions, 2003-2012

Wellbeing; material living conditions, 2003-2012

Material living conditions Personal characteristics 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 Total population 2010 new method 16 84 15 85
Total of material living conditions Total population 2012 17 83 17 83
Income level: 1st 25%-group Total population 2010 new method 27 73 26 74
Income level: 1st 25%-group Total population 2012 25 75 26 74
Income level: 2nd 25%-group Total population 2010 new method 18 82 17 83
Income level: 2nd 25%-group Total population 2012 18 82 20 80
Income level: 3rd 25%-group Total population 2010 new method 14 86 14 86
Income level: 3rd 25%-group Total population 2012 16 84 15 85
Income level: 4th 25%-group Total population 2010 new method 11 89 10 90
Income level: 4th 25%-group Total population 2012 12 88 11 89
Holidays: none Total population 2010 new method 28 72 26 74
Holidays: none Total population 2012 . . . .
Holidays: once Total population 2010 new method 16 84 16 84
Holidays: once Total population 2012 . . . .
Holidays: more than once Total population 2010 new method 9 91 9 91
Holidays: more than once Total population 2012 . . . .
Housing: own home Total population 2010 new method 13 87 12 88
Housing: own home Total population 2012 13 87 13 87
Housing: rented with rent subsidy Total population 2010 new method 32 68 33 67
Housing: rented with rent subsidy Total population 2012 29 71 34 66
Housing: rented without rent subsidy Total population 2010 new method 18 82 18 82
Housing: rented without rent subsidy Total population 2012 21 79 19 81
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?’.