How's Life? 2024

How's Life? assesses whether life is getting better for people living in OECD countries and whether progress has been sustainable and inclusive. This sixth edition presents the latest evidence from over 80 indicators covering current well-being outcomes, inequalities, and resources for future well-being. It contrasts medium-term trends in well-being outcomes with developments since 2019 to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, and to outline warning signs that require policy attention. While government interventions to address the economic impact of these shocks have contributed to the resilience of average incomes and employment outcomes, cost-of-living pressures as evidenced by housing costs and people's self-reported financial insecurity remain significant for many households. At the same time, there are warning signs in critical non-economic aspects of well-being - most notable in health, subjective well-being and social connectedness. Well-being inequalities between population groups run deep. Though most many well-being gaps by age and gender have narrowed over the past decade, in some cases this was because outcomes for younger people and men declined to a comparatively larger extent. Much stronger action is also needed to maintain today's well-being for future generations, particularly when it comes to combatting climate change.