Hungarian counties ranked: Where is the best and worst place to live?

A recent survey uncovers which Hungarian counties lead in happiness and which lag behind, revealing key factors such as financial security, age, and marital status that shape overall satisfaction.

About the survey

Pénzcentrum has conducted its yearly survey to find out which are the happiest and the least happy Hungarian counties. Based on responses from nearly 11,000 participants, the study highlights that factors like age, marital status, occupation, and financial stability significantly influence happiness. In addition, Hungarians felt slightly better in 2024 compared to the previous year. Happiness is crucial for societal and economic well-being, boosting productivity, creativity, and public health while attracting tourism and driving economic growth. As inflation slows, real wages rise, and labour market pressures ease, life in Hungary appears more manageable.

The happiest Hungarian counties

The average happiness score in Hungary has risen slightly to 5.8 from last year’s 5.7, with notable regional variations among Hungarian counties. Somogy and Vas counties lead the happiness rankings, while Nógrád consistently ranks last. Vas retained its top position, and Somogy made a remarkable leap from 19th to second place. Pest county also improved significantly, moving from 9th to 3rd, while Győr-Moson-Sopron and Zala counties slipped in the rankings.

Furthermore, gender and demographic differences reveal that women are generally happier than men, older individuals are happier than younger ones, and entrepreneurs report higher happiness than public sector workers, who scored the lowest with an average of 4.1. Married people and those with children reported greater happiness compared to single or childless respondents.