Happiness Levels in Germany higher than ever since Reunification – Eastern Germans significantly unhappier than Western Germans

Today, Germany's citizens are happier on average than at any other point in time since reunification. Even though more than 20 years have passed, the average level of happiness in eastern Germany is still significantly lower than that in western Germany. This is demonstrated by the most recent long-term Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP) data gathered by TNS Infratest Sozialforschung in collaboration with DIW Berlin. The level of happiness measured in Germany in 2013 matched that of West Germany in 1984 (when SOEP was initiated). For many years following reunification, life satisfaction was lower than today. The lowest level in the period under observation was measured in 2004 and 2005, a phase of high unemployment. It can be said with high statistical certainty that people in eastern Germany are less happy overall than those in western Germany. However, further regional differentiations should generally be treated with caution: for example, the methodology does not permit one to declare Schleswig- Holstein's population to be the happiest or Brandenburg's the unhappiest in Germany, based on SOEP data. Measured regional differences in life satisfaction are too small to justify such results, and the very small samples could also be significantly biased due to chance sampling errors. Rather, the SOEP surveys show that on average, one can live quite well in all of the Länder, and the majority of people living in Germany are quite happy with their lives overall.