Good News About Aging! Older People Are More Likely to Be Happy Than Younger People Are

By Sondra Forsyth

The poet Robert Browning wrote, “Grow old along with me/The best is yet to be”. Data from a study done by CivicScience shows that he was right. The market research firm followed happiness from 2013 to 2015. Over that time, 166,310 Americans answered the CivicScience poll question – “How happy are you today?—Very Happy, Happy, Unhappy, Very Unhappy, or So-So.”

The results showed that beginning with 30 to 34 year-olds, every age group gets progressively happier, peaking among those aged 65 and older, who are 14 times as likely to be happy than unhappy (67% vs. 5%). Among those under age 18, 13% are unhappy compared to 9% of the total general population.

The perks of youth apparently don’t guarantee happiness. More happy people than unhappy people are over the age of 45 (52% happy vs. 37% unhappy). Unhappy people are more likely to be under age 30.

And while career is a major indicator of happiness, people who report being happy are also more likely to be retired. Here are the key findings from the study:

• Happiness in oneΓÇÖs job is one of the strongest correlations with overall happiness.
• Happiness increases with age.
• Higher income traits are closely associated with greater happiness.
• ΓÇ£Morning peopleΓÇ¥ are much more likely to be happy than unhappy.
• Being unhealthy most strongly correlates with unhappiness.

So rejoice when you put another candle on your birthday cake. Celebrate the fact that, as Browning wrote, ΓÇ£The last of life, for which the first was made/A whole I planned, youth shows but half/See all, nor be afraid!ΓÇ¥