Population wellbeing

Adults living in Finland are mostly doing well

Adults living in Finland are mostly doing well, although there are also causes for concern. It is positive that four in five people of working age – including those who have migrated – report full work ability, and this proportion has remained unchanged in 2017–2024. More than half of 65–74-year-olds also assess that they have full work ability. Feeling unsafe in everyday life is rare: around four per cent in the general population.

Of particular concern is the increasing prevalence of psychological distress, loneliness and obesity among the working age population. Among young adults, the self-perceived inability to work has become more common, and loneliness is more prevalent than in the rest of the population. Among people with a foreign background (hereafter people who have migrated), the sense of inclusion is stronger than in the population on average, but experiences of discrimination are common.

Regional and socioeconomic differences in health in Finland are large and persistent: morbidity is higher in the east and north than elsewhere in the country, and problems related to health and wellbeing accumulate among people with low educational attainment and low incomes.

This site examines information on wellbeing in different population and age groups to ensure equality and the targeted allocation of services. The wellbeing of different population groups, such as people who have migrated or people who have been in prison, must be examined separately, because understanding the situation of these groups complements the overall picture of the wellbeing of the whole population. The site compiles up-to-date research information on population wellbeing and health, as well as on regional and socioeconomic health differences.

About one in two rate their quality of life as good

By quality of life, we mean a person’s perception of their own situation, such as health, wellbeing, social relationships and living environment. In the total population, about one in two (52%) adults rate their quality of life as good. Among people who have migrated, the proportion who rate their quality of life as good (48%) is slightly lower than in the total population.
Health and wellbeing

The quality of life of prisoners, especially women, is lower than the population average. Among male prisoners, quality of life has declined over the past 15 years, and the quality of life of women has not improved.
Health of prisoners

The majority of the foreign background population assess their health to be good

People with a foreign background are, for the most part, doing well, like the majority of the population. In 2025, people who have migrated accounted for about 11 per cent of Finland’s total population.
People who have migrated are not a homogeneous group, and health differences between groups can be substantial. Those who have arrived as refugees or asylum seekers, as well as their family members, are often in the most vulnerable position.

A large majority of people who have migrated feel they are work‑able and willing to work. However, structural racism and discrimination occur both in recruitment and in working life. Among people who have migrated, 26% had experienced discrimination in working life during the past year, which was considerably more common than in Finland’s total population (14%). Educational attainment among people who have migrated is very high; half had completed a higher education degree. The corresponding figure in the general population is 30%.

Difficulties related to functional capacity are on average as common among people who have migrated as in Finland’s general population. However, people from certain countries report fewer difficulties related to functional capacity compared with the general population. The prevalence of problems in work ability and functional capacity therefore varies considerably by country of origin.

Migrants

There are large and persistent regional health differences in Finland

Morbidity and work disability are most common in eastern and northern Finland. Morbidity is highest among both men and women in North Savo. North Ostrobothnia, North Karelia and Kymenlaakso are also high‑morbidity areas. In eastern and northern Finland, alcohol‑related diseases, severe mental health problems and musculoskeletal disorders are particularly more common than in other wellbeing services counties.

Alcohol‑related morbidity is also clearly more common than in the country in Päijät‑Häme and Kymenlaakso. Among men, the alcohol‑related morbidity index is clearly above the national average not only in these areas but also in Central Ostrobothnia, and among women in the Vantaa and Kerava wellbeing services county.

The work disability index is highest among men in Kainuu and among women in North Savo. Regarding work disability, regional differences are larger in vocational rehabilitation than in paid disability pensions and sickness allowances.

Regional health differences

Differences by socioeconomic position are clear and persistent

Socioeconomic differences are particularly evident in life expectancy and premature mortality. In 2020–2022, the number of years of life lost was clearly higher among people with low incomes than among those with high incomes: among women the difference was 10,410 and among men 21,335 years of life lost per 100,000 population. In relative terms, the difference was nearly fivefold among women and more than fivefold among men.

The largest absolute differences were observed for diseases of the circulatory system and alcohol‑related deaths. For alcohol‑related deaths, the relative difference was the greatest, more than elevenfold in both sexes. Differences between income groups were also substantial for accidents.

Mortality and life expectancy