The kids aren’t alright

Many younger Americans aren’t doing so hot compared to previous generations at their age, according to a new report from Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation. Or to put it another way: the vibes aren’t great.

Around 4 in 10 Gen Z adults say they’re currently thriving in their lives – the lowest rate across all US generations today, and much lower than millennials at the same age (60%). Gallup also found 15% of Gen Z adults rate their current mental health as excellent, compared to 52% of millennials and 55% of Gen X at the same age.

And when it comes to younger members of Gen Z, measures of well-being and ambition have also declined slightly from the previous generation.

• Americans aged 13 to 17 are less likely to say that they have a friend they can confide in, that they exercise regularly, or that they plan to attend college compared with millennials at the same age, per Gallup.

Other research has identified a similar trend. Less than a third of Americans aged 12 to 17 (30%) say things are going well for kids and teens in the US today, while less than half of that age group (40%) believe they’ll be better off than their parents in adulthood, per a new survey from Common Sense Media.

📊 Flash poll: In your opinion, what can/should be done to reverse the decline in youth well-being?

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