Are Men or Women Happier? The Answer Is Complicated.

Researchers asked a simple but important question: are males or females doing better in life? But instead of just looking at one or two things like income or happiness, they looked at 73 different measures of flourishing (everything from health and relationships to meaning, character, finances, and spirituality) across more than 200,000 people in 22 countries. The results paint a complex picture.

Globally, men report better health and finances, while women report more happiness, purpose, and stronger social connections.

On the overall flourishing index, males scored slightly higher, but only by a tiny margin. When they broke it down into six areas, females tended to report more happiness and life satisfaction, better social relationships, and more meaning and purpose. Males tended to report better physical and mental health and more financial security. Character and virtue were about equal.

The reason males came out slightly ahead overall is that the gaps where males led (health and finances) were bigger than the gaps where females led. But here is the key: these patterns were far from universal. In 9 of the 22 countries, females actually reported higher overall flourishing than males. And when researchers looked at religion and spirituality, areas not included in the main flourishing index, females scored higher on 12 of 13 items. The study also found that people who identified as a gender other than male or female reported much lower flourishing across nearly every measure, which the authors note is a serious cause for concern.

The big takeaway? Neither sex has a clear advantage across the board. Each has areas of strength and struggle, and where you live seems to matter a lot.