We have been asking Poles whether they are satisfied with their lives (both in general and with various aspects) for many years, every year. The responses in the latest survey show that social and family relationships are still one of the most frequently indicated reasons for satisfaction. The vast majority of respondents declare satisfaction with friends and close acquaintances (84%), three-quarters feel satisfied with their children (74%), and two-thirds are content with marriage or an informal, permanent relationship (67%). The vast majority of Poles are also satisfied with their place of residence (87%). Satisfaction with material conditions, e.g. housing or equipment, is expressed by more than two-thirds of respondents (69%), while a total of about one-third of respondents assess them as average (24%) or negative (7%). Income is noticeably less likely to be considered adequate. Satisfaction with income is expressed by less than two-fifths (38%), while one-fifth are dissatisfied (19%), and two-fifths (40%) are moderately satisfied in this respect.

Two-thirds of respondents (67%) are happy with their education and qualifications, and more than half are content with their professional career (55%). Among various professional groups, private entrepreneurs, representatives of management staff and specialists, and workers stand out positively with regard to their professional career, while farmers stand out negatively. Six out of ten adults (60%) declare satisfaction with their health. More than half of Poles (56%) are also optimistic about their future prospects. Ambivalent attitude in this respect is expressed by every fourth respondent (26%), and a pessimistic attitude by one-tenth (10%).

Are you generally satisfied with your …

Compared to 2023, satisfaction with some aspects of life has increased to a record level. This concerns: the place of residence (an increase of 3 percentage points), material living conditions (by 3 points), education and qualifications (by 5 points) and prospects for the future (by 5 points). More people than a year ago also express satisfaction with their health (an increase of 4 points). Satisfaction with other aspects remains stable.

On the other hand, eight out of ten Poles currently declare general satisfaction with their lives (81%). Ambivalent attitude is expressed by one-sixth (16%), and dissatisfaction is voiced by two out of a hundred (2%). Compared to last year's measurement, the percentage of people satisfied with their lives has increased by 4 percentage points and is higher than in the last four years, but slightly lower than in 2019, when the level of the overall life satisfaction reached a record level. It is worth noting that over the last 30 years we have observed a clear upward trend. When we asked this question for the first time in 1994, only 53% of respondents declared they were happy with their lives, which is almost 30 percentage points less than today.

Are you satisfied with your life in general?

The most satisfied with life are people in a good financial situation, with a high income per person in the household (from PLN 4,000 to PLN 5,999), as well as the youngest respondents (18–24 years old) and those aged 35 to 44. Statistical analysis (linear regression) shows that aspects such as future prospects (B=0.224), satisfaction with a permanent relationship (B=0.173), with children (B=0.126), with the place of residence (B=0.120), material living conditions (B=0.083) and health status (B=0.066) have a statistically significant impact on general life satisfaction.