This visualization, via Visual Capitalist’s Bruno Venditti, shows the share of people across 25 countries who believe that “most people can be trusted,” offering a snapshot of how trust varies around the world.

The data for this visualization comes from the Pew Research Center. It is based on nationally representative surveys of more than 37,000 adults conducted in early 2025.

High Trust in Northern Europe

Northern European countries dominate the top of the ranking. Sweden leads the list, with 83% of respondents saying most people can be trusted. The Netherlands follows closely at 79%, while Canada and Germany both exceed 70%.

These countries tend to have strong institutions, low corruption, and robust social safety nets. High levels of trust make cooperation easier, reducing friction in economic and civic life.

Divided Views in Major Economies

Several large, high-income economies fall closer to the middle of the distribution. In the United States, 55% of people say most people can be trusted, while 44% say they cannot. The UK, Japan, and South Korea show similar splits, with trust still outweighing distrust, but by narrower margins.

Country
Can Be Trusted
Cannot Be Trusted
Income Group
🇸🇪 Sweden
83%
17%
High-income
🇳🇱 Netherlands
79%
20%
High-income
🇨🇦 Canada
73%
26%
High-income
🇩🇪 Germany
72%
27%
High-income
🇦🇺 Australia
69%
31%
High-income
🇯🇵 Japan
65%
32%
High-income
🇬🇧 UK
64%
34%
High-income
🇰🇷 South Korea
62%
37%
High-income
🇪🇸 Spain
57%
41%
High-income
🇺🇸 United States
55%
44%
High-income
🇵🇱 Poland
50%
48%
High-income
🇮🇱 Israel
49%
43%
High-income
🇭🇺 Hungary
46%
54%
High-income
🇬🇷 Greece
45%
53%
High-income
🇫🇷 France
44%
54%
High-income
🇮🇹 Italy
43%
56%
High-income
🇮🇩 Indonesia
53%
47%
Middle-income
🇮🇳 India
38%
60%
Middle-income
🇳🇬 Nigeria
31%
68%
Middle-income
🇦🇷 Argentina
28%
71%
Middle-income
🇿🇦 South Africa
27%
72%
Middle-income
🇧🇷 Brazil
22%
77%
Middle-income
🇰🇪 Kenya
20%
80%
Middle-income
🇲🇽 Mexico
18%
82%
Middle-income
🇹🇷 Turkey
14%
84%
Middle-income

Low Trust in Many Middle-Income Countries

Trust levels are substantially lower across most middle-income countries in the survey. Turkey ranks last overall, with just 14% saying most people can be trusted. Mexico, Kenya, and Brazil also report trust levels below 25%.

In these countries, respondents are far more likely to say that most people cannot be trusted. Pew notes that lower income levels and less access to education are closely linked to reduced trust. Economic insecurity and weaker institutions may make people more guarded in their interactions.

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out How Quality of Life Has Changed in 30 Countries, According to Citizens on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.