Young adults in NL less happy and satisfied

Young adults in the Netherlands were significantly less happy and less satisfied with their lives in 2021 than before the turn of the century. Despite the strong decline, a large majority of 18 to 25-year-olds are still happy and satisfied with life. The same goes for the Netherlands population as a whole, Statistics Netherlands reported in its Social Cohesion and Welfare Survey.

Last year, 81 percent of young adults said they were happy, and 77 percent were satisfied with life. In 1997, 91 percent of 18 to 25-year-olds were happy and 85 percent satisfied. In 1997, young adults were the happiest and most satisfied age group in the Netherlands. Last year they dropped to the bottom in both categories.

Of all adults in the Netherlands, 86.4 percent were happy last year, and 83.6 percent were satisfied with their lives. That's slightly lower than the 88.2 happy and 84.1 percent satisfied adults in the Netherlands in 1997.

The stats people also asked people whether their life had meaning in 2020. The vast majority of adults (92 percent) considered life worth living and felt that they contributed something to society (74 percent). Of adults who didn't see themselves as happy, 63 percent still thought life was worth living. The same goes for 66 percent who didn't feel satisfied with their lives. Of those who didn't see themselves as happy or satisfied, 47 percent thought they contributed something to society.

In 2020, young adults and senior citizens over 75 were least likely to feel that they contributed to society. Highly educated people, people with a higher income, married people, employed people, and people who did volunteer work more often thought life was worth living and more often felt that they contributed to society.