The Social Report 2004 measures a range of aspects of social wellbeing. For the first time, we have also measured the overall life satisfaction of New Zealanders.
In 2004, 27 percent of New Zealanders reported feeling very satisfied with their life. Fifty four percent reported feeling satisfied. Only 5 percent of people indicated that they felt dissatisfied with their life.91
There is a surprising lack of variation in the average levels of satisfaction across different groups in the population. For example, despite marked difference in outcomes across a wide range of indicators, there is very little variation in average life satisfaction between different ethnic groups. The factors that do seem to make a difference include: low income, unemployment, and loneliness which have a small adverse effect; and having a child, which has a small beneficial impact.
Overall life satisfaction is high in New Zealand compared to other countries, with New Zealand being amongst the top quarter of OECD countries.92
