One in three people in the Netherlands is relatively prosperous and say they are in good health and content with life, according to new research by the national statistics office CBS.

Having money, good health, a high standard of education and a partner are all key indicators of having a good quality of life, the CBS said.

Young couples in their 20s without children lead the pack because both of them tend to be in work, have cash to spend and in good health, the CBS research showed.

Single parent families, people on benefits and people living in rented accommodation have a lesser quality of life, the CBS said.

In total, three in four people on benefits are dissatisfied with their lives. Men with low levels of education and no job are bottom of the list.

The CBS admits quality of life is a difficult thing to determine but has used health and prosperity as the major determinants.

In May, a Eurostat ranking said the Dutch are one of the most satisfied nationalities in Europe with a score of 7.8 out of 10.