The Burrow
Oct 1, 2025
Ageing is a universal experience, but your quality of later life can vary greatly depending on where you live. Some nations have the healthiest populations thanks to strong healthcare systems, financial security and support for mental wellbeing, while others face greater challenges in helping citizens thrive as they age.
As experts in understanding how health insurance and health systems can shape wellbeing in later life, we have created the Healthy Ageing Index 2025. This index, which examines 50 countries and a wide range of factors that can influence later life, including life expectancy, age dependency ratio, happiness, quality of life, safety, healthcare standards, cost of living, climate, and pension provision, identifying which countries provide the strongest support for healthy ageing.
By combining these measures, the index highlights which nations provide the strongest environments for older adults to live long, secure and fulfilling lives.
| Rank | Country | Life Expectancy | Happiness | Quality of life | Safety | Healthcare | Pension rate % | Total score (Max 100) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netherlands | 82.16 | 7.30 | 216.5 | 74.2 | 82.0 | 100.0 | 76.95 |
| 2 | Luxembourg | 82.23 | 7.12 | 218.2 | 66.0 | 81.6 | 100.0 | 75.60 |
| 3 | Denmark | 81.93 | 7.52 | 215.1 | 74.0 | 81.1 | 100.0 | 74.41 |
| 4 | Japan | 84.71 | 6.14 | 188.8 | 77.3 | 86.5 | 100.0 | 73.76 |
| 5 | Spain | 83.67 | 6.46 | 187.2 | 62.8 | 79.7 | 88.9 | 72.92 |
| 6 | New Zealand | 82.09 | 6.95 | 194.7 | 51.5 | 79.8 | 100.0 | 72.37 |
| 7 | Slovenia | 81.60 | 6.79 | 182.4 | 75.6 | 79.9 | 100.0 | 72.15 |
| 8 | Austria | 81.96 | 6.81 | 197.7 | 71.7 | 80.2 | 100.0 | 71.03 |
| 9 | Norway | 83.31 | 7.26 | 199.2 | 67.2 | 83.0 | 100.0 | 70.88 |
| 10 | Switzerland | 83.95 | 6.93 | 210.9 | 73.3 | 82.1 | 99.3 | 70.43 |
| 11 | Cyprus | 81.65 | 5.94 | 160.4 | 67.3 | 79.2 | 92.7 | 70.17 |
| 12 | Czechia | 79.83 | 6.77 | 176.3 | 73.4 | 79.5 | 100.0 | 70.30 |
| 13 | Portugal | 82.36 | 60.1 | 169.1 | 67.6 | 77.4 | 96.7 | 69.95 |
| 14 | Australia | 83.92 | 6.97 | 195.1 | 52.6 | 80.4 | 74.4 | 69.22 |
| 15 | Germany | 81.38 | 6.75 | 195.2 | 60.4 | 81.4 | 100.0 | 69.07 |
The results reveal a clear top five, with these countries standing out for their strong healthcare, quality of life and support systems, which make them the best environments for healthy ageing.
The Netherlands consistently ranked highly for most factors in the index, such as quality of life, strong healthcare provision, pension rate and social support, making it one of the most attractive environments for ageing well.
With a high average life expectancy of 82.16 years, the Netherlands ranks at the very top for healthiest populations for seniors. The country scored a high happiness rate of 7.30, and the same goes for a high quality of life score of 216.5. Other positive factors include high scores for safety (74.2) and healthcare (82.0), and a retiree pension rate of 100%, giving the Netherlands a total score of 76.95 out of 100.
With a robust economy and an excellent healthcare system, Luxembourg was ranked second, offering strong foundations and financial stability for healthy ageing.
Luxembourg scored 218.2 for the quality of life index, the highest out of all 50 countries in our index. The average life expectancy is slightly higher than in the Netherlands, at 82.23 years, with further high scores of 7.12 in the happiness index and 81.6 for their healthcare system. Overall, the country receives a total score of 75.60 out of 100.
Known for its emphasis on happiness, safety and community trust, Denmark provides a balanced environment that supports both physical health and mental wellbeing for those in their later life.
Danes benefit from an average life expectancy of 81.93 years, combined with a happiness rate of 7.52, the second highest of all 50 countries in our index. They had the third-highest score for their quality of life index with 215.1. Overall, Denmark was ranked third, with a total score of 74.41 out of 100.
Japan had the longest life expectancy at 84.71 years, which, combined with advanced healthcare and a culture that values and respects the older generations, contributes significantly to a healthier ageing population.
Despite having lower rates of happiness (6.14) and quality of life (188.8) compared to its European counterparts, it scored highly for the safety index and healthcare quality, with a relatively low cost of living index scoring them a total of 73.76 out of 100.
Rounding out the top five is another European country, Spain, with its warm climate, Mediterranean diet and emphasis on family life, which all can play a central role in making it a leading destination for longevity and quality of life in retirement.
The average life expectancy is very high at 83.67 years, plus higher rates of happiness (6.46) and quality of life (187.2) reported. Together, these factors make Spain one of the top five healthiest countries for ageing, with a total score of 72.92 out of 100.
With weaker healthcare frameworks and limited pension coverage, some countries present more obstacles to healthy and secure ageing.
South Africa faces significant challenges in supporting healthy ageing, with disparities in access to healthcare and financial resources creating barriers for many older adults.
While Indonesia benefits from strong family networks, its limited healthcare infrastructure and high levels of financial insecurity make it more difficult for older populations to age healthily.
India’s vast population and developing healthcare system mean that many older citizens struggle with access to consistent medical care, pensions and long-term support.
Economic pressures, as well as gaps in healthcare and pension provision, contribute to Egypt ranking the lowest, leaving many retirees with limited security in later life.
Australia was ranked 14 out of 50 countries with an average life expectancy of 83.92 years, the third highest in the index after Japan (84.71) and Switzerland (83.95). Australia could be considered one of the healthiest countries for ageing, scoring 80.4 for its healthcare quality.
Australia has also scored highly in the happiness index (6.97) and for quality of life (195.1). However, it scored lower than other countries in the retiree pension rate (74.4%) and safety index score (52.6). As a result, Australia receives a total score of 69.22 out of 100.
According to the research, the countries with the healthiest populations share a common commitment to supporting older populations through quality healthcare systems.
Steven Spicer – Executive General Manager of Health, Life and Energy at Compare the Market, says:
“The healthy ageing index highlights the countries that are investing in strong healthcare systems and secure pensions to support their older populations. Healthy ageing isn’t only about adding years to life, but about adding quality of life to those years.Whether you’re part of the ageing population or just want peace of mind for your wellbeing, it’s worth reviewing your health insurance, ensuring you can maintain your quality of life and independence well into your later years.”
This dataset ranks 50 countries, based on nine different factors that benefit older citizens. Each factor’s data was collected and normalised to a score between 0 and 1. If data was missing, a score of 0 was given. These scores were then combined to give each country a total score out of 100, and countries were ranked from highest to lowest.
Factors used:
These factors were indexed as follows:
All data is accurate as of 15/08/2025 and comes from multiple sources. Rankings reflects these sources but may not capture every real life detail.