Younger people are less happy than older generations in Australia, new research has found.
The 2024 World Happiness Report, which surveys happiness levels in more than 140 countries, has shown a stark divide in a number of Western nations between the contentment of different ages.
Countries are ranked on happiness based on their average life evaluations over the three preceding years, in this case 2021 to 2023.
This year’s report is the first to include separate rankings for age groups, and the results have shown stark differences emerge in several majority English-speaking Western nations.
The report looks at six key variables to help explain life evaluations: GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity and perceptions of corruption.
The survey asks each participant to score their life as a whole, considering what they value, John Helliwell, emeritus professor of economics at the Vancouver School of Economics, University of British Columbia, and a founding editor of the World Happiness Report, said.
Australia ranks 10th on the list overall, one of only two non-European countries in the top 10.
But based only answers from people aged 30 and under, Australia would rank 19th, while answers from Australians aged 60 and over pushed us up to ninth.
Australia isn’t alone, with researchers pointing out that happiness gains in young people in some parts of the world, especially eastern Europe, were mirrored by sharp declines in places like the US, Canada, and New Zealand.
The US has a particularly stark division.
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