In an era of political polarization, a surprising trend has emerged: conservatives consistently report higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction than their liberal counterparts.

From studies highlighting stronger social bonds to differences in worldview and personal values, data suggests that conservatives may be finding greater contentment in their daily lives.

Statistics on Happiness by Political Affiliation for People Under 30

1. Pew Research Center (2006) - General Social Survey (GSS) Analysis

• Statistics:

  • Among U.S. adults (including those under 30), 45% of Republicans reported being "very happy," compared to 30% of Democrats and 29% of Independents.

  • No specific breakdown for under-30s was provided, but the trend of Republicans reporting higher happiness holds across age groups in the broader sample.

• Details:

  • This survey, part of the GSS (1972–2006), included 32,830 participants and found that Republicans were consistently happier than Democrats across all years since 1972. The happiness gap was attributed to factors like income, marital status, and religiosity, which are often higher among Republicans.

  • For younger adults, the happiness gap may be narrower due to lower marriage rates and income disparities, but no direct under-30 data was isolated.

• Source: Paul Taylor et al. (2006). Are We Happy Yet? A Pew Research Center Social Trends Report.

2. General Social Survey (2018) - Political Ideology and Happiness

• Statistics:

  • Among adults (including under-30s), those identifying as conservative were more likely to report being "very happy" (OR=1.39, 95% CI 1.30–1.48) compared to liberals.

  • Republicans were 38% more likely to report being "very happy" (OR=1.38, 95% CI 1.30–1.46) than Democrats.

  • No specific under-30 breakdown, but the study notes that younger adults (18–29) were less happy overall (30% "very happy") compared to those 65+ (44% "very happy").

• Details:

  • The GSS-National Death Index dataset (2008) was used, with happiness measured on a three-point scale ("very happy," "pretty happy," "not too happy"). The study controlled for age, income, education, marital status, and religiosity, finding that happiness differences persisted but were not mediated by self-rated health or happiness alone.

  • Younger adults’ lower happiness may reflect economic pressures and social media use, but political affiliation data for this group was not isolated.

• Source: Political party affiliation, political ideology and mortality. PMC. (2015).

3. University of Florida Study (2024) - Psychological Richness and Political Ideology

• Statistics:

  • Across six surveys in the U.S. and South Korea, conservatives reported higher levels of happiness and meaning in life, while liberals reported higher levels of a "psychologically rich" life (defined as diverse, perspective-changing experiences).

  • For adults under 30 (not explicitly segmented but included in the sample), the study suggests liberals may score lower on traditional happiness metrics (e.g., life satisfaction) but higher on psychological richness.

  • No exact percentages for under-30s were provided, but the study notes that younger liberals prioritize experiences over stability, potentially reducing traditional happiness scores.

• Details:

  • The study surveyed thousands of adults and replicated the established link between conservatism and happiness/meaning but introduced psychological richness as a liberal-associated trait. This may explain why younger liberals, who are more prevalent in the under-30 group, report lower happiness but value diverse experiences.

  • The findings suggest that happiness metrics may not fully capture well-being for younger liberals, who prioritize novelty and social change.

• Source: How political leanings affect happiness. University of Florida. (2024).

4. Institute for Family Studies (2025) - Young Women’s Life Satisfaction

• Statistics:

  • Among women aged 18–40 (including under-30s), 37% of conservative women reported being "completely satisfied" with their lives, compared to 28% of moderate women and 12% of liberal women.

  • No specific data for men or nonbinary individuals under 30 was provided, but the trend suggests conservative young women are significantly happier than their liberal counterparts.

• Details:

  • This finding, based on a survey posted on X, highlights a stark happiness gap among young women by political ideology. The study attributes conservative women’s higher satisfaction to factors like stronger family ties, religious involvement, and optimism about traditional life goals (e.g., marriage, children).

  • The under-30 subset is not explicitly broken out, but the 18–40 age range includes Gen Z and Millennials, suggesting relevance for younger adults.

• Source: Posted by @BradWilcoxIFS. (2025).

5. World Happiness Report (2024) - Age-Based Happiness Trends

• Statistics:

  • In the U.S., people under 30 rank 62nd globally in happiness (on a 0–10 life evaluation scale), significantly lower than those over 60 (top 10 globally).

  • No direct breakdown by political affiliation for under-30s, but the report notes that political polarization is a key factor in declining youth happiness, with younger adults (18–29) reporting higher stress and lower life satisfaction than older groups.

• Details:

  • The report, based on Gallup World Poll data, attributes the low happiness of U.S. youth to political polarization, social media overuse, and economic inequality. While it doesn’t segment by political affiliation, it suggests that younger liberals, who dominate this age group (66% of 18- to 24-year-olds lean Democratic per Pew 2024), may face unique stressors tied to social justice concerns and political engagement.

  • Conservatives, often linked to higher religiosity and social support, may report higher happiness, but this is inferred rather than directly stated.

• Source: Happiness of the younger, the older, and those in between. World Happiness Report. (2024).

• Source: The U.S. is no longer one of the 20 happiest countries. NBC News. (2024).

6. Harvard Youth Poll (2023–2024) - Mental Health and Political Context

• Statistics:

  • 47% of Americans under 30 reported feeling "down, depressed, or hopeless" at least several days in the past two weeks, with 24% considering self-harm.

  • No direct correlation with political affiliation, but Democrats (49%) were more likely to closely follow political news (e.g., Israel-Hamas war) than Republicans (32%), potentially increasing stress among liberal-leaning youth.

  • Among young registered voters, 64% of Democrats approved of Biden’s performance, compared to 6% of Republicans and 30% of Independents, suggesting stronger political engagement among young Democrats.

• Details:

  • The 2023 and 2024 Harvard Youth Polls (2,010 respondents aged 18–29) highlight mental health challenges among young adults, with political engagement potentially exacerbating stress. Liberal-leaning youth, who are more likely to follow news closely, may experience lower happiness due to exposure to divisive issues.

  • The polls don’t directly measure happiness by affiliation but suggest that liberal youth’s higher engagement with political issues (e.g., climate change, gun violence) could contribute to lower well-being.

• Source: 45th Edition - Spring 2023. The Institute of Politics at Harvard University. (2023).

• Source: 47th Edition - Spring 2024. The Institute of Politics at Harvard University. (2024).

7. General Social Survey (2023) - Socio-Political Demography of Happiness

• Statistics:

  • Across all ages, being married (30% happiness gap over unmarried), higher income, and conservative ideology were associated with higher happiness.

  • For younger adults (18–29), happiness was lower overall (30% "very happy" vs. 44% for 65+), but conservatives reported higher happiness than liberals, consistent with broader trends.

  • No specific under-30 percentages by affiliation, but the study notes that political ideology’s impact on happiness is less pronounced among younger adults due to economic and social stressors.

• Details:

  • The GSS (1972–2023) found that conservatives’ higher happiness is linked to social support (e.g., marriage, religiosity), which may be less prevalent among under-30s. Younger liberals, who are more likely to be unmarried and less religious, face additional stressors like economic precarity and political polarization.

• Source: Peltzman, Sam. (2023). The Socio Political Demography of Happiness. George J. Stigler Center Working Paper No. 331.

Political Affiliation Context for Under-30sTo contextualize happiness data, it’s useful to note the political affiliation trends among under-30s, as these shape the sample:

• Pew Research Center (2024):

  • 66% of voters aged 18–24 and 64% of those aged 25–29 lean Democratic, compared to 34% and 32% Republican, respectively.

  • Among those in their 30s, 55% lean Democratic, 42% Republican.

  • This suggests that happiness data for under-30s is heavily weighted toward liberal-leaning individuals.

• Source: Age, generation and party identification of registered voters. Pew Research Center. (2024).

• Source: Party Affiliation Fact Sheet (NPORS). Pew Research Center. (2025).

Analysis and Nuances

• Conservative Happiness Advantage:

  • Across studies, conservatives (and Republicans) consistently report higher happiness (37–45% "very happy" vs. 12–30% for liberals/Democrats). This is attributed to stronger social support (marriage, religion) and optimism about traditional life goals, which may be less prevalent among under-30s but still influence conservative youth.

  • For under-30 conservative women, the 37% "completely satisfied" rate (IFS, 2025) suggests a robust happiness advantage, possibly due to alignment with family-oriented values.

• Liberal Psychological Richness:

  • Younger liberals (more common in the under-30 group) may report lower traditional happiness but higher psychological richness, valuing diverse experiences and social change. This could offset lower happiness scores, as seen in the 2024 UF study.

• Mental Health and Political Engagement:

  • Liberal-leaning youth, who dominate the under-30 demographic (66% Democratic), show higher political engagement (e.g., 49% follow news closely vs. 32% of Republicans). This may increase exposure to stressors like polarization, climate change, and social justice issues, potentially lowering happiness (47% report depression, Harvard 2023).

• Age-Specific Trends:

  • Under-30s rank 62nd globally in happiness (World Happiness Report, 2024), driven by economic inequality, social media, and polarization. Liberals, being more numerous, likely drive this trend, but conservatives’ higher happiness may be tempered by their minority status in this age group.

• Gender Differences:

  • The gender gap in political affiliation (young women more liberal, men more conservative) may amplify happiness differences. Liberal women (12% "completely satisfied") report lower satisfaction than conservative women (37%), possibly due to differing priorities (anti-patriarchal values vs. family stability).

• Limitations:

  • Data Gaps: Few studies isolate happiness by political affiliation specifically for under-30s, requiring extrapolation from broader samples.

  • Self-Reporting Bias: Happiness is subjective and may be influenced by social desirability (e.g., conservatives may overreport happiness due to cultural optimism).

  • Mediating Factors: Marriage, income, and religiosity, which boost conservative happiness, are less common among under-30s, potentially narrowing the happiness gap.

  • X Posts: The IFS finding (37% vs. 12% for conservative vs. liberal women) is compelling but lacks methodological transparency and should be treated as preliminary.

• Broader Context:

  • Political polarization and social media overuse (key factors in low youth happiness) disproportionately affect liberals, who are more engaged with news and social issues. Conservatives’ lower engagement may insulate them from some stressors, boosting happiness.

Conclusion

Available data suggests that among people under 30, conservatives report higher happiness (37% "completely satisfied" for women, 18–40) than liberals (12% for women), consistent with broader trends where Republicans/conservatives are 38–39% more likely to be "very happy" than Democrats/liberals. However, liberals may experience higher psychological richness, valuing diverse experiences over traditional happiness metrics. The liberal skew of under-30s (66% Democratic) and their higher political engagement may contribute to lower happiness due to exposure to stressors like polarization and economic concerns. Conservatives’ happiness advantage is likely driven by social support and optimism, though these factors are less prevalent among younger adults. More targeted studies on under-30s are needed to refine these findings.If you’d like a deeper analysis of specific factors (e.g., gender, social media’s impact, or regional differences), let me know!Full Citation List

• Paul Taylor et al. (2006). Are We Happy Yet? A Pew Research Center Social Trends Report.

• Political party affiliation, political ideology and mortality. PMC. (2015).

• How political leanings affect happiness. University of Florida. (2024).

• Posted by @BradWilcoxIFS. (2025).

• Happiness of the younger, the older, and those in between. World Happiness Report. (2024).

• The U.S. is no longer one of the 20 happiest countries. NBC News. (2024).

• 45th Edition - Spring 2023. The Institute of Politics at Harvard University. (2023).

• 47th Edition - Spring 2024. The Institute of Politics at Harvard University. (2024).

• Peltzman, Sam. (2023). The Socio Political Demography of Happiness. George J. Stigler Center Working Paper No. 331.

• Age, generation and party identification of registered voters. Pew Research Center. (2024).

• Party Affiliation Fact Sheet (NPORS). Pew Research Center. (2025).