Finland faces rising inequality and declining well-being

A new report on the state of inequality in Finland, titled ‘Eriarvoisuuden tila Suomessa 2026’ by Lauri Finer and Jussi Systä, highlights a decline in national well-being. Despite Finland's reputation as one of the world's happiest nations, researchers note that happiness levels have not recovered to pre-pandemic standards, remaining at a permanently lower level due to a ‘poly-crisis’ involving the pandemic's aftermath, rising living costs from the war in Ukraine, and global political uncertainty.

The report indicates that 60 percent of Finns view income and health disparities as too large. It suggests that current inequality is a result of political choices rather than chance, noting that wealth concentration is often obscured in official statistics. To address these issues, the authors emphasize the importance of vocational education and structural political changes.

Complementing these systemic findings, happiness coach Miia Huitti explores the individual dimension of well-being in her book ‘Vähän onnellinen’. She addresses the contradiction between Finland's high international rankings and the lived experience of many citizens who feel only marginally happy, framing happiness as a skill that can be developed through practical daily habits.