For the first time since measurements began in 2012, the United States isn’t among the 20 happiest nations.

The World Happiness Report 2024, which draws on data from the Gallup World Poll, saw American happiness plummet to 23rd place — a stark decline from its previous 15th spot.

Drastic shifts in happiness demographics have occurred in the past decade, the poll found. The once vibrant and buoyant outlook of young Americans has dulled, overtaken by concerns over life satisfaction. Economist John Helliwell, one of the World Happiness Report’s founding editors, highlights that those under 30 are the least content group in the country.

Despite traditionally strong showings in global happiness rankings, the U.S. finds itself surpassed by nations like Costa Rica and Lithuania. Notably, the report indicates a pervasive sense of increased happiness among the Nordic countries, with Finland maintaining its lead at the top. Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and Israel round out the top five.

The decline in overall U.S. contentment seems borne by the nation’s youth. American adults younger than 30 stand in the 62nd position worldwide regarding their well-being, lagging behind countries such as the Dominican Republic, Brazil and Guatemala. In comparison, older U.S. age groups still rank in the top 10.

“Piecing together the available data on the well-being of children and adolescents around the world, we documented disconcerting drops, especially in North America and Western Europe,” professor Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, an expert of economics and behavioral science at the University of Oxford and editor of the report, told the Daily Mail.

“To think that, in some parts of the world, children are already experiencing the equivalent of a midlife crisis demands immediate policy action,” he said.

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