The Paradox of Unhappy Economic Growth: Is the U.S. An Outlier?

Q: What does this research mean for the field?

Despite rising income per capita, the United States exhibits extreme declines in subjective well-being measures such as trust, hope, and freedom, representing a severe case of a broader trend of declining well-being in Western nations. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.CONTRADICTORY. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.CHALLENGES_CONSENSUS.

Carol Graham; Douglas N. Harris; Anjana Nair; Isabel Shaheen O’Malley

doi:10.1177/29782244261480700

September 5, 2026Journal of Wellbeing Economics

The Paradox of Unhappy Economic Growth: Is the U.S. An Outlier?

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Key Points

To determine whether declining subjective well-being amidst rapid per capita income growth in the United States is unique compared to other middle- and high-income countries.
Analyzed international well-being trends and per capita income data across middle- and high-income nations using the Gallup World Poll.
Assessed national rates of change in subjective well-being measures, including trust, hope, and freedom, relative to economic growth rates.
The United States exhibited among the steepest declines globally in reported trust, hope, and personal freedom despite faster per capita income growth than most nations.
The efficiency of converting rising income into improved subjective well-being in the United States tracked significantly worse than international averages.
Declines in well-being characterized a broader trend across Western nations, though the magnitude and breadth of decline were substantially more severe in the United States.

Implication

Cross-national survey analysis reveals declining subjective well-being in the United States despite economic growth, highlighting an extreme breakdown between income and welfare.

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Cite This Study

Graham et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9e85b3c3034f961570e07f https://doi.org/10.1177/29782244261480700

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The Paradox of Unhappy Economic Growth: Is the U.S. An Outlier?

Key Points

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

The Paradox of Unhappy Economic Growth: Is the U.S. An Outlier?

Key Points

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

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