Gen Z is supposed to be the least happy generation in America, so in November 2023, Gallup decided to check. They asked 2,271 Gen Z people, “are you happy?” The results were surprising.
According to their survey, 3 out of 4 representatives of Gen Z say they’re happy. Wait, what? 3 in 4? Didn’t Gen Z get blamed for tanking the United States’ standing in the 2024 World Happiness Report? I seem to recall that Forbes even titled an article “Spurned by the economy, young Americans are feeling so lonely and powerless they plunged the nation’s happiness score.” So what gives
Turns out that Gen Z is a big generation. Going from those born between 1997 and 2012, it spans middle schoolers, high schoolers, college age, college grads… everyone from around age 12 to 27. And guess what? Those younger Gen Z kids haven’t been smashed in the face with the pointlessness of it all yet. To quote the Walton Family Foundation (co-sponsors of the survey):
About three quarters (73%) of Gen Z describe themselves as very happy or somewhat happy. However, this percentage declines significantly as Gen Z reaches adulthood, alongside many of the factors that coincide with happiness.
So now let’s look at the breakdown of people who consider themselves a happy (very or somewhat happy) person:
- Age 12-14: 80% happy
- Age 15-17: 78% happy
- Age 18-20: 69% happy
- Age 21-23: 67% happy
- Age 24-26: 68% happy
And in case you’re wondering what happened to the 27 year olds, this was done at the end of 2023, so the 1997 babies didn’t have their 27th birthdays yet.
So not only do we have a downward trend as Gen Z discovers that things seem pretty pointless, but we also have this important note:
In addition, Gen Z adults who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or another non-heterosexual orientation are 16 percentage points less likely to say they are happy than heterosexual Gen Z adults. This is particularly important because Gallup research suggests one in five members of Gen Z identify as LGBT.
The authors of the study purport that it’s exactly that loss of purpose (general “what’s the point of it all?”) that leads to a sense of unhappiness. To quote Romy Drucker, Education Program Director at the Walton Family Foundation:
Gen Zers are telling us their happiness is directly linked to feeling a sense of purpose at school and work. Expanding meaningful and engaging learning experiences, including career pathways, can lead to more fulfilled and motivated young people.
Doubtless this is only part of the story, because, for instance, 73% of the unhappy Gen Z respondents say they experience anxiety and 57% say that no one really knows them well. Go to page 4 of the Gallup report and you’ll actually see that the biggest gap between the unhappy and the happy is on the statement “I feel loved by others.” 81% of happy Gen Zers says they feel loved, and only 38% of unhappy Gen Zers says they do: that’s a 43% point gap.Whatever the reasons, Gen Z happiness starts high … and then declines. As a society, we must prioritize the well-being of Gen Z by fostering a sense of purpose, promoting social connections, and addressing the root causes of anxiety. There’s still time to reverse the wave of unhappiness (and get the USA back to it’s rightful Top 20 place in the World Happiness Report).
