Young Americans’ happiness is 'falling off a cliff,' expert says—it’s not just because of social media

Teona Gherasim

While Finland continues to claim the No. 1 spot in the World Happiness Report, the U.S. remains outside of even the top 10 — coming in at No. 23, according to the 2026 edition. And while the report looks at the well-being of people in age groups across the board, it appears America's youth is doing even worse. Out of 136 countries, young people ages 15 to 24 in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand rank between 122 and 133 for happiness. Here's why young Americans' wellbeing is "falling