Young NL residents scored well-being lower than older age groups for first time

Young adults up to the age of 25 felt less happy and satisfied last year than people above that age. According to Statistics Netherlands (CBS), it is the first time since it started keeping track of personal well-being that young people gave a lower figure for their well-being than people over 25. Young women, in particular, felt less good last year.

CBS determines the personal well-being of young adults based on various factors, such as satisfaction with their financial situation, education and work, health, social relations, trust in politics, and sense of security. An average score of seven or higher indicates that someone experiences “high personal well-being.” The percentage of young people aged 18 to 25 who gave a score of seven or higher fell from 70 percent in 2020 to 63 percent last year. Of the over 25-year-olds, 67 percent experienced high personal well-being last year.

CBS has been taking this measurement since 2013. Until now, young adults have always felt better than people over 25.

Young women, in particular, experienced less well-being last year. The percentage who scored life a seven or higher fell from 66 percent to 53 percent. Among young men, the percentage remained about the same, with 73 percent giving a score of seven or higher. CBS did not investigate the difference between the genders.

Trust in institutions like the lower house of the Dutch parliament, judges, and the police, particularly contributed to the decline in the number of young people with high personal well-being. According to CBS, there was a peak in confidence in the coronavirus year 2020, but it fell again in 2021. Young people were also less satisfied with their mental health last year than the year before. Higher-income young adults were more likely to experience high personal well-being than lower-income peers.