Latest Happiness Index Reveals American Happiness at All-Time Low

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll® of 2,019 U.S. adults aged 18+ surveyed online between May 31 and June 2, 2016. Full results of this study, including data tables, can be found here.

Women continue to be happier than men

Harris Poll has been measuring Americans' happiness since 2008 using an index that is calculated by taking an average of those who strongly agree with certain positive statements and strongly disagree with certain negative statements that are asked along an agree/disagree scale.

In its inaugural year, the Happiness Index stood at 35 (out of a possible 100). Eight years later, Happiness has gradually slipped to 31, but what hasn't changed is the gender breakdown – more women are happier than men:

Most Americans still optimistic about the future

When looking closer at the individual statements that comprise the Happiness Index, it would appear that most Americans are quite happy now and feel positively about the future:

• About 8 in 10 (81%) strongly or somewhat agree that they are generally happy with their life at this time; and,
• More than 7 in 10 (72%) agree that they are optimistic about the future.

In both cases, however, a greater proportion of Americans only somewhat (as opposed to strongly) agree, illustrating the rationale behind how the Happiness Index is calculated – and that it represents greater cheerfulness than merely mild contentment.

General happiness has fluctuated between the low 80s (83% high in 2008) and upper 70s (77% low in 2013), while future optimism has ranged between nearly 80% (79% high in 2009) and the upper 60s (67% low in 2013):

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Methodology
This Harris Poll was conducted online, in English, within the United States between May 31 and June 2, 2016 among 2,019 adults aged 18+. Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population.  Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, The Harris Poll avoids the words "margin of error" as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Poll surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in our panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

The results of this Harris Poll may not be used in advertising, marketing or promotion without the prior written permission of The Harris Poll.

Product and brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

The Harris Poll^® #50, July 8, 2016
By Kathy Steinberg, Director, The Harris Poll

About The Harris Poll®
Begun in 1963, The Harris Poll is one of the longest running surveys measuring public opinion in the U.S. and is highly regarded throughout the world. The nationally representative polls, conducted primarily online, measure the knowledge, opinions, behaviors and motivations of the general public. New and trended polls on a wide variety of subjects including politics, the economy, healthcare, foreign affairs, science and technology, sports and entertainment, and lifestyles are published weekly. For more information, or to see other recent polls, please visit our new website, TheHarrisPoll.com.

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SOURCE The Harris Poll

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