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The 2024 World Happiness Report revealed a notable decrease in happiness levels among young adults living in the United States.
According to the report, the United States has experienced a decline in overall happiness, now ranking 23rd globally, a drop from its previous position at 15th. Specifically, among young adults below the age of 30, the US finds itself significantly lower in the happiness index, positioned at 62nd worldwide.
The report measures six key variables to determine overall happiness:
- GDP per capita,
- Healthy life expectancy,
- Having someone to count on,
- Freedom to make life choices,
- Generosity
- Freedom from corruption.
Americans rank lower in happiness, freedom, life expectancy and other areas
Compared to the top 100 countries in the happiness report, the United States ranked low in “freedom to make life choices”.
Survey participants were asked “are you satisfied or dissatisfied with your freedom to choose what you do with your life?”. The United States received a score of 0.586 out of a possible 1.o point. This score puts the country on par with nations like Russia (0.551) or Hungary (0.581), and well below China (0.704).
The low score comes as laws across the United States have dramatically reduced freedoms for women and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Severe restrictions on access to abortion and legislation targeting gay and trans rights have dramatically increased in the last two years.
Similarly, longstanding economic and social divides rooted in racism and discriminatory policy continue to plague the country as white supremacy and authoritarianism rise. This lower perception of individual freedom has a damaging effect on the country’s overall happiness score.
Lagging Behind: The United States Faces Challenges in Healthy Life Expectancy and Youth Happiness
The US also trails its neighboring countries with its score for a “healthy life expectancy”. Canada boasts a score of 0.701 out of a possible 1.0 point, leading Mexico’s 0.544. Meanwhile, the United States received a score of just 0.542.
These happiness scores were determined using World Health Organization data outlining life expectancy at birth in each country. Moreover, the results suggest that the impacts of social issues, suppression of rights, global conflict, and climate change are affecting young Americans the most.
While the happiness of young people in the United States ranks just barely in the top 50% of countries surveyed, happiness for older adults above the age of 60 ranks in the top 8%.
By contrast, nations Nordic nations like Finland, Denmark, and Iceland maintained high rankings across all variables and all age groups.