Statistics Jersey has published its 2019 Jersey Better Life Index report, in response to a drive globally to move away from purely economic measures, such as GDP, as the indicators of a nation’s wellbeing and progress.
Approaches that draw on social and environmental, as well as economic, factors are now a common international objective. Importance is also placed on asking how individuals rate their lives and surroundings, rather than focusing on objective measures of wellbeing.
By following the widely used Better Life Index framework developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Jersey’s wellbeing is measured and compared across 11 dimensions.
The OECD, which comprises 36 member countries and several partners, aims to promote policies to improve the economic and social wellbeing of people around the world.
A Better Life Index for Jersey was first produced and published in 2013. A second report, relating to the calendar year 2018, set out updated measures for Jersey and the OECD nations, and a comparison of the island with more than 400 sub-national regions of the OECD.
This latest report represents a further update of the national and regional comparisons, using the most recently available data from the OECD. Data for Jersey relates to either the same reference year or the closest year for which data is available.
The key points for Jersey on a national level include the following:
• It has an overall Better Life Index score of 6.6 (out of 10), ranking 19th out of 41 nations
• Jersey ranked slightly above the OECD average, but below the UK and France
• It remained at the same overall rank as in 2018
• The island ranked in the top 10 for jobs and earnings, health status and community
* it ranked bottom for civic engagement
To view the Better Life Indes report click here