Life satisfaction in Poland is rising very quickly, and the improvement covers almost the entire country, from Lubuskie through Śląskie and Łódzkie to Mazowieckie and Wielkopolskie. There is only one exception: in Podlasie, people are becoming less happy, Puls Biznesu (“PB”), a Polish business daily, reported on Tuesday.

“In no other country in the world is life satisfaction rising as fast as in Poland. Among the ten OECD regions with the largest increase in this indicator over the past decade, as many as six are in Poland. It is worth emphasizing that Polish regions make up only 4.7% of the surveyed group, so they are overrepresented in the top ten by almost 13 times,” the newspaper notes.

According to “PB,” such a rapid rise in quality of life and Poles’ sense of happiness is, to some extent, the result of a low-base effect. “For now, we are still closing the gap with the happiest societies in the world. But the fact that we are growing is the result of real changes taking place in our communities, economy, infrastructure and relationships,” the newspaper writes.

“PB” cites OECD data showing that, on average, the happiest residents are those of the Wielkopolskie, Dolnośląskie and Kujawsko-Pomorskie voivodeships (provinces), where the life satisfaction index stands at 6.7 on a scale of 0 to 10. “Residents of Warsaw, analyzed as a separate region, are also relatively happy, with an index of 6.6,” the newspaper writes.

The statistics cited show that the lowest scores come from the Opolskie (6.0), Łódzkie (5.9), Lubuskie (5.8) and Warmińsko-Mazurskie (5.7) voivodeships.

The newspaper stresses that the satisfaction index is rising everywhere, and “falls only in Zachodniopomorskie (by 0.03 points) and Podlaskie (by 1.42 points).”

“A better economic situation in a region fosters better relationships, and better relationships are linked to a greater sense of satisfaction. So it is prosperity that makes people somewhat more satisfied,” Puls Biznesu concludes. (PAP)

How Was It Measured?

The OECD’s main tool for collecting data on subjective feelings of happiness (life satisfaction) is the worldwide surveys conducted by the Gallup Institute (Gallup World Poll). The organization does not conduct its own censuses but relies on standardized public opinion surveys.

The methodology of the survey rests on clear principles:

1. The Tool: A Survey and the Cantril Scale

The study uses the so-called Cantril ladder. Respondents are asked: “Imagine a ladder with steps numbered from 0 at the bottom to 10 at the top. The top step represents the best possible life for you, and the bottom step the worst. On which step do you feel you stand at this moment?”. This survey is the source of the average scores for Polish regions (for example, 6.7 for Wielkopolska).

Sample Size

• Standard annual sample: In most countries (including Poland), Gallup surveys a representative sample of about 1,000 adult residents each year.

• Increasing precision: To be able to analyze data reliably at the regional level (for example, by Polish voivodeship) and to minimize the statistical error resulting from a small group, the OECD in its regional reports combines (pools) data from several consecutive years of surveys. According to official OECD guidelines, a reliable analysis of subjective well-being calls for samples of ideally more than 2,000 respondents.

Sampling and Methods

The sample is fully random and representative of the country’s entire population in terms of age, gender and place of residence. Interviews are conducted:

• By telephone (in countries with a high level of mobile phone penetration, which includes Poland).

• Through direct face-to-face interviews (in countries with less developed telecommunications infrastructure).