Norwegians get happier as they age, but the richest 25 per cent of the population is still the happiest
One in every four Norwegians is very happy with their life, according to a new survey. The young are less content than the old.
Norwegians get happier as they age, according to a new report from Statistics Norway. This is surprising to the researchers.
“One of the more surprising findings is that the old are the most content,” says researcher Anders Barstad to the Norwegian radio station P4.
26 per cent of the population say they are very content with life, giving a score of 9 or 10 on a scale from 0 to 10, according to the survey. 22 per cent feel less content, giving a score between 0 and 5 on the same scale.
Happier once the kids move out
People above the age of 45 are the most content. In this group you find adults without children living at home. 35 per cent of them are very content with life. Many of them feel their quality of life has improved since their children flew the coop.
“This is probably because the parents have more free time when the children move out, in addition to fewer worries for their children. We know that this is a group that values their free time,” says Barstad.
One in three seniors between the age of 67 and 70 years say they are very happy with their lives. This group is also doing the best when it comes to their mental health.
Personal finance is important
“Older people are usually more content with their personal finances. They’ve paid off their mortgages, and are often without debt,” says Barstad. He points out that seniors are staying healthier for longer, according to other research.
But there is one group that scores higher than everyone else when it comes to their own quality of life. The richest 25 per cent of the population is also the happiest.
People that have a higher education score far better than the rest of Norwegians.
People who’ve suffered abuse score the lowest
In the other end of the scale, we find people that are out of work or disabled. We also find people with health problems, people with little or no formal education, in addition to people who identify as LGBTQ.
A large portion of those who say they are not content with life, have suffered through abuse, threats of violence, sexual abuse or have suffered mental degradation over a prolonged period of time, according to the report.
