Townleap

High-Trust Countries

Where a stranger assumes you're not about to screw them over.

One number, one question: the share of people who agree that "most people can be trusted." It comes from the Integrated Values Surveys (World Values Survey + European Values Study), pooled by Our World in Data. The government figure on each card is a different survey asking a different thing — Eurobarometer in the EU, the OECD Trust Survey elsewhere — so it's shown alongside and never averaged in. Two caveats worth holding: survey waves are a few years apart between countries, so treat gaps of 2–3 points as noise; and the question doesn't translate identically everywhere, which is why a few readings carry a note on the card itself.

1.
🇩🇰

Denmark

1 city

You can leave a laptop on a café table and come back to a laptop. Down 1pp over the last decade.

#1 of 115 worldwide58% trust the government~$1970/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy
74% trust
2.
🇳🇴

Norway

1 city

You can leave a laptop on a café table and come back to a laptop. Down 1pp over the last decade.

#2 of 115 worldwide48% trust the government~$2004/mo rentFull democracy
72% trust
3.
🇫🇮

Finland

1 city

You can leave a laptop on a café table and come back to a laptop. Up 8pp over the last decade.

#3 of 115 worldwide46% trust the government~$1210/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy
68% trust
4.
🇨🇳

China

3 cities

64% say most people can be trusted — with an asterisk. Up 3pp over the last decade.

China reports unusually high trust in the World Values Survey (~63%); self-reported-trust readings from tightly controlled survey environments are worth reading with a raised eyebrow.

#4 of 115 worldwide~$903/mo rentVisa: complex
64% trust
5.
🇸🇪

Sweden

3 cities

You can leave a laptop on a café table and come back to a laptop. Up 3pp over the last decade.

#5 of 115 worldwide45% trust the government~$1329/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy
63% trust
6.
🇨🇭

Switzerland

7 cities

Trust is the default, but people still lock the bike. Up 6pp over the last decade.

#7 of 115 worldwide62% trust the government~$2280/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy
59% trust
7.
🇳🇱

Netherlands

3 cities

Trust is the default, but people still lock the bike. Down 9pp over the last decade.

#8 of 115 worldwide34% trust the government~$1985/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy
57% trust
8.
🇳🇿

New Zealand

1 city

Trust is the default, but people still lock the bike. Up 1pp over the last decade.

#9 of 115 worldwide46% trust the government~$991/mo rentFull democracy
57% trust
9.
🇦🇹

Austria

4 cities

Trust is the default, but people still lock the bike. Up 15pp over the last decade.

#11 of 115 worldwide48% trust the government~$1204/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy
50% trust
10.
🇦🇺

Australia

3 cities

Trust is the default, but people still lock the bike. Down 3pp over the last decade.

#12 of 115 worldwide46% trust the government~$2198/mo rentFull democracy
49% trust
11.
🇨🇦

Canada

3 cities

Trust is the default, but people still lock the bike. Up 5pp over the last decade.

#13 of 115 worldwide49% trust the government~$1631/mo rentVisa: easyFull democracy
47% trust
12.
🇬🇧

United Kingdom

4 cities

Trust is the default, but people still lock the bike. Up 8pp over the last decade.

#14 of 115 worldwide27% trust the government~$2054/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy
43% trust
13.
🇩🇪

Germany

7 cities

Trust is the default, but people still lock the bike. Down 3pp over the last decade.

#15 of 115 worldwide34% trust the government~$1296/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy
42% trust
14.
🇪🇸

Spain

7 cities

Trust is the default, but people still lock the bike. Up 22pp over the last decade.

#17 of 115 worldwide27% trust the government~$1355/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy
41% trust
15.
🇮🇪

Ireland

2 cities

Trust gets extended to friends and family. You're neither, yet. Down 10pp over the last decade.

#20 of 115 worldwide48% trust the government~$2264/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy
37% trust
16.
🇺🇸

United States

11 cities

37% say most people can be trusted — with an asterisk. Up 2pp over the last decade.

The US number is disputed: the World Values Survey shows interpersonal trust roughly flat near 37%, while the long-running General Social Survey shows a slide toward ~25%. The two use different question wording and mode, so treat the level as a range, not a point.

#21 of 115 worldwide~$2470/mo rentVisa: easy
37% trust
17.
🇭🇰

Hong Kong

1 city

Trust gets extended to friends and family. You're neither, yet. Down 12pp over the last decade.

#22 of 115 worldwide~$2225/mo rentVisa: moderate
36% trust
18.
🇸🇬

Singapore

1 city

Trust gets extended to friends and family. You're neither, yet. Down 3pp over the last decade.

#24 of 115 worldwide~$2696/mo rentVisa: moderate
34% trust
19.
🇪🇪

Estonia

1 city

Trust gets extended to friends and family. You're neither, yet. Down 5pp over the last decade.

#25 of 115 worldwide38% trust the government~$816/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy
34% trust
20.
🇯🇵

Japan

1 city

Trust gets extended to friends and family. You're neither, yet. Down 2pp over the last decade.

#26 of 115 worldwide~$1359/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy
34% trust
21.
🇺🇿

Uzbekistan

1 city

Trust gets extended to friends and family. You're neither, yet. Up 20pp over the last decade.

#27 of 115 worldwide~$609/mo rent
34% trust
22.
🇰🇷

South Korea

1 city

Trust gets extended to friends and family. You're neither, yet. Up 7pp over the last decade.

#28 of 115 worldwide37% trust the government~$871/mo rentVisa: complex
33% trust
23.
🇹🇼

Taiwan

1 city

Trust gets extended to friends and family. You're neither, yet. Flat over the last decade.

#31 of 115 worldwide~$735/mo rentVisa: easyFull democracy
31% trust
24.
🇹🇭

Thailand

3 cities

Trust gets extended to friends and family. You're neither, yet. Down 3pp over the last decade.

#32 of 115 worldwide~$625/mo rentVisa: moderate
29% trust
25.
🇻🇳

Vietnam

1 city

Trust gets extended to friends and family. You're neither, yet. Down 23pp over the last decade.

#35 of 115 worldwide~$475/mo rentVisa: moderate
28% trust
26.
🇨🇿

Czech Republic

1 city

Trust gets extended to friends and family. You're neither, yet. Down 2pp over the last decade.

#36 of 115 worldwide24% trust the government~$1228/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy
27% trust
27.
🇭🇺

Hungary

1 city

Trust gets extended to friends and family. You're neither, yet. Up 3pp over the last decade.

#37 of 115 worldwide41% trust the government~$918/mo rentVisa: moderate
27% trust
28.
🇮🇹

Italy

4 cities

Trust gets extended to friends and family. You're neither, yet. Down 2pp over the last decade.

#38 of 115 worldwide33% trust the government~$1384/mo rentVisa: moderate
27% trust
29.
🇫🇷

France

5 cities

Trust gets extended to friends and family. You're neither, yet. Up 3pp over the last decade.

#40 of 115 worldwide18% trust the government~$1110/mo rentVisa: moderate
26% trust
30.
🇸🇮

Slovenia

1 city

Trust gets extended to friends and family. You're neither, yet. Up 5pp over the last decade.

#43 of 115 worldwide17% trust the government~$1118/mo rent
25% trust
31.
🇵🇱

Poland

2 cities

Everyone assumes the other guy is running an angle. Often correctly. Up 2pp over the last decade.

#45 of 115 worldwide51% trust the government~$1100/mo rentVisa: moderate
24% trust
32.
🇿🇦

South Africa

1 city

Everyone assumes the other guy is running an angle. Often correctly. Up 12pp over the last decade.

#47 of 115 worldwide~$1026/mo rentVisa: moderate
23% trust
33.
🇮🇱

Israel

3 cities

Everyone assumes the other guy is running an angle. Often correctly. Flat over the last decade.

#49 of 115 worldwide~$1723/mo rentVisa: moderate
23% trust
34.
🇷🇺

Russia

2 cities

Everyone assumes the other guy is running an angle. Often correctly. Down 5pp over the last decade.

#48 of 115 worldwide~$1203/mo rentVisa: moderate
23% trust
35.
🇰🇿

Kazakhstan

1 city

Everyone assumes the other guy is running an angle. Often correctly. Down 16pp over the last decade.

#50 of 115 worldwide~$756/mo rent
23% trust
36.
🇸🇰

Slovakia

2 cities

Everyone assumes the other guy is running an angle. Often correctly. Up 10pp over the last decade.

#53 of 115 worldwide31% trust the government~$1042/mo rent
22% trust
37.
🇲🇾

Malaysia

1 city

Everyone assumes the other guy is running an angle. Often correctly. Up 11pp over the last decade.

#59 of 115 worldwide~$690/mo rentVisa: moderate
20% trust
38.
🇦🇷

Argentina

1 city

Everyone assumes the other guy is running an angle. Often correctly. Flat over the last decade.

#60 of 115 worldwide~$767/mo rentVisa: easy
19% trust
39.
🇦🇲

Armenia

1 city

Everyone assumes the other guy is running an angle. Often correctly. Up 7pp over the last decade.

#63 of 115 worldwide~$680/mo rentVisa: easy
18% trust
40.
🇮🇳

India

2 cities

Everyone assumes the other guy is running an angle. Often correctly. Flat over the last decade.

#66 of 115 worldwide~$246/mo rentVisa: complex
17% trust
41.
🇵🇹

Portugal

5 cities

Everyone assumes the other guy is running an angle. Often correctly. Down 2pp over the last decade.

#67 of 115 worldwide45% trust the government~$1358/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy
17% trust
42.
🇲🇦

Morocco

1 city

Everyone assumes the other guy is running an angle. Often correctly. Up 4pp over the last decade.

#69 of 115 worldwide~$495/mo rent
17% trust
43.
🇷🇸

Serbia

1 city

Everyone assumes the other guy is running an angle. Often correctly. Up 4pp over the last decade.

#70 of 115 worldwide49% trust the government~$904/mo rentVisa: easy
16% trust
44.
🇹🇷

Turkey

1 city

Everyone assumes the other guy is running an angle. Often correctly. Up 2pp over the last decade.

#81 of 115 worldwide46% trust the government~$1070/mo rentVisa: easy
14% trust
45.
🇭🇷

Croatia

1 city

Everyone assumes the other guy is running an angle. Often correctly. Down 6pp over the last decade.

#84 of 115 worldwide28% trust the government~$1077/mo rent
14% trust
46.
🇷🇴

Romania

1 city

Everyone assumes the other guy is running an angle. Often correctly. Up 5pp over the last decade.

#89 of 115 worldwide37% trust the government~$668/mo rentVisa: moderate
12% trust
47.
🇲🇽

Mexico

8 cities

Everyone assumes the other guy is running an angle. Often correctly. Down 2pp over the last decade.

#93 of 115 worldwide54% trust the government~$1006/mo rentVisa: moderate
11% trust
48.
🇬🇪

Georgia

2 cities

9% say most people can be trusted — with an asterisk. Flat over the last decade.

Interpersonal trust collapsed from ~20% (2010) to ~9% (2014) and has stayed there since — the low reading is a real break, not survey noise.

#98 of 115 worldwide31% trust the government~$571/mo rentVisa: easy
9% trust
49.
🇬🇷

Greece

1 city

Everyone assumes the other guy is running an angle. Often correctly. Down 12pp over the last decade.

#100 of 115 worldwide23% trust the government~$737/mo rentVisa: moderateFull democracy
8% trust
50.
🇪🇬

Egypt

1 city

Everyone assumes the other guy is running an angle. Often correctly. Down 14pp over the last decade.

#103 of 115 worldwide~$215/mo rent
7% trust
51.
🇧🇷

Brazil

2 cities

Everyone assumes the other guy is running an angle. Often correctly. Flat over the last decade.

#105 of 115 worldwide~$644/mo rent
7% trust
52.
🇮🇩

Indonesia

1 city

Everyone assumes the other guy is running an angle. Often correctly. Down 33pp over the last decade.

#109 of 115 worldwide~$1082/mo rentVisa: easy
5% trust
53.
🇨🇴

Colombia

1 city

Everyone assumes the other guy is running an angle. Often correctly. Flat over the last decade.

#110 of 115 worldwide32% trust the government~$703/mo rentVisa: easy
5% trust

How we score countries

Not a composite — a single measured number. Countries are ranked on the share of people who say "most people can be trusted" in the Integrated Values Surveys (World Values Survey + European Values Study), pooled by Our World in Data. Trust in the national government comes from a different survey asking a different question (Eurobarometer in the EU, the OECD Trust Survey elsewhere), so it rides along as a labelled chip and never enters the ranking — averaging the two would invent a number nobody measured. Trust is national, not municipal: every city in a country inherits the same reading. Waves are a few years apart between countries, so treat gaps of 2–3 points as noise.

Best Countries to Live In 2026Best Countries to Move to From the USEasiest Countries to Immigrate to in 2026Best Countries to Retire In 2026Best Countries for Expats 2026Countries With No Income TaxCountries With No Capital Gains TaxBest Countries to Raise a FamilyBest English-Speaking Countries to Live InMost Democratic Countries to Move ToSafest Countries for WomenCheapest Places to Live in EuropeBest Places to Live in EuropeSafest Places to Live in EuropeFull City Rankings

Data: Integrated Values Surveys (WVS + EVS) via Our World in Data · Eurobarometer · OECD Trust Survey

Frequently Asked Questions

Which country has the highest social trust?▾

Denmark — 74% of people there say most others can be trusted, the highest among the countries Townleap covers and the highest in the dataset worldwide. Measured by the Integrated Values Surveys.

Which are the top 5 high-trust countries?▾

#1 Denmark (74%), #2 Norway (72%), #3 Finland (68%), #4 China (64%), #5 Sweden (63%). The figure is the share who agree that "most people can be trusted" — the standard social-trust question asked in the World Values Survey and European Values Study.

Why does social trust matter if you're moving somewhere permanently?▾

Because it's the tax you pay on every transaction that isn't written down. In a high-trust country the landlord takes your word, the contractor shows up, the second-hand sale happens in a car park without a lawyer. In a low-trust one, every arrangement needs a deposit, a witness, or a cousin who knows someone. Tourists never notice. Settlers pay it daily for years.

Why are 'trust in people' and 'trust in government' different numbers here?▾

Because they're different surveys asking different questions, and blending them would produce a statistic nobody actually measured. Interpersonal trust comes from the Integrated Values Surveys; trust in the national government comes from Eurobarometer in the EU and the OECD Trust Survey elsewhere. They also move independently — plenty of countries trust their neighbours and not their ministers, and a few manage the reverse.

Is social trust rising or falling?▾

Falling in 22 of the 53 countries we rank, including Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Australia. The trend compares the latest survey wave against one roughly a decade earlier, so it's slow-moving — but the direction of travel is worth more than a single year's reading.

More ways to find your country

Where Should I Move? QuizFull City RankingsBudget CalculatorAll Rankings
Back to 132 cities →