Poll: Married, Religious, Upper Income Adults Most Satisfied with Personal Lives

Married U.S. adults, as well as those making $100,000 per year or more and those who attend religious services weekly, reported the most satisfaction with their personal lives, a recent survey found. 

“Majorities of Americans across all key demographic subgroups are at least somewhat satisfied with their lives, but only a few groups have majorities saying they are very satisfied,” according to the Gallup poll report. “This includes those with annual household incomes of $100,000 or more, married adults, those who attend religious services regularly, college graduates, Democrats and those aged 55 and older.”

Nearly 60 percent (58 percent) of Americans who make $100,000 or more report being “very satisfied” with their lives, compared to 43 percent who make between $40,000-$99,000 and 39 percent who make below $40,000.

Fifty-seven percent of married U.S. adults also report being “very satisfied,” compared to 38 percent who are not married. U.S. adults who attend religious services more consistently (weekly at 56 percent) report being more satisfied with their lives than those who rarely attend (41 percent).

By education level, college graduates are more likely to report being “very satisfied” (54 percent) than those who did not graduate college. 

By political affiliation, Democrats (52 percent) are more satisfied than Republicans (46 percent) and independents (44 percent). Older Americans ages 55 and up are also more satisfied (51 percent) than their younger counterparts. 

Overall, the survey found that for just the third time in more than two decades, less than half of Americans (47 percent) say they are “very satisfied” with their personal lives. The record low was in 2011, with 46 percent reporting high satisfaction.

“The previous low points in Americans’ personal satisfaction have occurred at times of economic uncertainty,” according to the poll report. “The 46 percent reading in 2011 came when the country was still recovering from the 2007-2009 recession, and the other sub-50 percent reading (47 percent) was in December 2008 during the global economic crisis.”

“The current data are from Gallup’s Jan. 2-22, 2024, Mood of the Nation poll that also finds Americans’ views of the national economy are largely negative,” the report noted.

Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on X @thekat_hamilton.