U.S. Drops Out of Top 20 Happiest Countries, and Younger Americans Are Feeling the Impact
Written by: Terry Alexander
In a recent study that tracks happiness levels around the world, the United States and some Western European countries have experienced a decline in overall well-being, largely driven by the decreasing happiness of younger people.
For the first time, the U.S. has fallen out of the top 20, dropping to 23rd place from 15th last year, with a significant drop in the well-being of Americans under 30 dragging down the overall score.
The age disparity is striking.
While the U.S. ranks in the top 10 for those over 60, it plummets to 62nd place for those under 30. The report attributes this disparity to economic inequality between generations in the U.S., which is likely responsible for the lower levels of happiness among American youth.
This places the U.S., along with Canada, Germany, and France, as global outliers. In many regions of the world, the young continue to be happier than the old. These findings were announced on the United Nations' International Day of Happiness and are part of the World Happiness Report, which has been monitoring well-being ratings worldwide for over a decade. The report is based on data collected by Gallup and analyzed by well-being academics led by the University of Oxford.
This year, the report introduced separate rankings by age group, which often differ significantly from the overall happiness rankings for different nations. Lithuania emerged as the top country for people under 30, while Denmark claimed the title of the world's happiest country for those aged 60 and older.
The study's researchers express surprise at the decline in youth well-being in the United States and North America, as well as Western Europe and Great Britain. They note that this decline explains why these countries are ranking lower in the general population ratings. The researchers highlight that it is not the middle-aged or older population that is experiencing a decline in happiness. In fact, the above-60 age group in the U.S. would rank 10th in the overall happiness rankings.
For Americans under 30, well-being ranks lower than that of the Dominican Republic and is comparable to countries like Malaysia and Russia. Canada's youth, although still unhappy, fare slightly better, ranking 58th, four spots above the U.S.
The rankings are based on self-assessments by individuals in over 140 countries, where they rate their own lives on a scale of zero to 10. The report emphasizes that predictors of happiness extend beyond economic well-being and include factors such as freedom, life expectancy, and social support.
Finland has maintained its position at the top of the list, followed by Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden. On the other end of the spectrum, war-ravaged Afghanistan recorded the lowest happiness scores.
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The consistent high performance of Scandinavian nations can be attributed to a "high sense of contentment" and a society built on trust. These countries not only possess high gross domestic product per capita but also distribute wealth more equally, creating a welfare state that provides psychological stability.
The study's findings should serve as a wake-up call for the United States and other countries experiencing a decline in youth happiness. Addressing economic inequality and ensuring a supportive social environment for younger generations may be crucial in restoring overall well-being and reclaiming a place among the happiest countries in the world.