At what age are we happiest? (2024)

FAQs

At what age are we happiest? ›

The study, published in the academic journal Psychology Bulletin, is based on 443 samples from studies involving a total of 460,902 participants. Life satisfaction was found to decrease between the ages of 9 and 16, then increase again slightly until the age of 70.

The researchers found people reached their happiest when they arrived at the age of 70. Life satisfaction decreased between the ages of nine and 16, increased a little until the age of 70, and then declined again until the age of 96.

Most established adults we interviewed seemed to recognize that they were happier in their 30s than they were in their 20s, and this impacted how they thought about some of the signs of physical aging that they were starting to encounter.

The study reveals that it experiences a dip between the ages of 9 and 16, a turbulent period marked by the trials of puberty and shifting social dynamics. Yet, as the dust settles, a glimmer of hope emerges, with satisfaction beginning to ascend, reaching its zenith at approximately 70 years of age.

People aged 60 and older in the U.S. reported high levels of well-being compared to younger Americans. In fact, the U.S. ranks in the top 10 countries for happiness in this age group. By 60, life can feel more secure, especially for people with good health, financial stability and strong social connections.

So here's a greeting you won't find on the Hallmark birthday card rack: “Welcome to your 40s – the official unhappiest age of your life!” For more than 20 years researchers have been studying happiness as a “curve” and they've found that in your 40s you're at your lowest!

A research team has now shed light on the question in a comprehensive meta-analytic review. The findings show that the respondents' life satisfaction decreased between the ages of 9 and 16, then increased slightly until the age of 70, and then decreased once again until the age of 96.

People begin life fairly happy. Around age 18, their happiness begins to decrease, reaching a low point in their 40s. But after age 50, happiness begins to rise again. This U-shaped happiness curve has emerged consistently in large studies of Western societies.

For women this occurs, on average, by 18-20 years and for men the typical ages are 20-23 years. The Prime adult years continue until about age 30-35 years in both sexes. These years are notable for their stability and predictability in physical and cognitive performance, also called homeostasis by biologists.

On average, you will reach your sexual peak in your 20s, your physical peak in your 30s, your mental peak in your 40s and 50s, and you will be at your happiest and relaxed in your 60s. Really though, the most important message is life is a series of ups and downs, peaks and troughs.

What is the happiest age for a woman? ›

A 2014 Brookings Institute study on happiness and age found that people are least happy in their twenties, thirties, and early forties, and steadily gain an appreciation for life as they age. Indeed, most women become increasingly happy after age 55, with their peak of happiness toward the very end of life.

Surprising Findings: The 2 Ages When People Are Happiest

But, a few years ago researchers identified the two ages in an adult's life when you are likely to be at your happiest. Experts from the London School of Economics and Political Sciences found that happiness peaks at the ages of 23 and 69.

Starting at age 18, your happiness level begins to decrease, reaching peak unhappiness at 47.2 in developed countries and 48.2 in developing countries. The good news is that happiness levels then gradually increase.

The study, published in the academic journal Psychology Bulletin, is based on 443 samples from studies involving a total of 460,902 participants. Life satisfaction was found to decrease between the ages of 9 and 16, then increase again slightly until the age of 70.

Married people, particularly those aged 25 to 50, consistently reported higher levels of well-being compared to singles, regardless of race, age, and gender.

Various studies have explored the impact of age on happiness. Some suggest that happiness follows a U-shaped curve, meaning that people are happier in their 20s and old age but less happy in their middle age. Others point out that happiness declines with age as people face more challenges and losses.

Believe it or not, an analysis of 443 studies comprised of more than 460,000 participants found that the happiest time in people's lives is when they reach 70 years old.

The Economist's international survey of happiness gathered data from America's General Social Survey, Eurobarometer and Gallup finding an upward trajectory of happiness until age 30, a downward trend into midlife, with the lowest point reached at age 46, and up to higher levels again after the 50's.