In Turkey, the percentage of people who declared they are happy decreased from 52.7% in 2023 to 49.6% last year, according to a study by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK). Out of 100 people, 64 expressed hope for the future. The highest concern in the country last year was the high cost of living, followed by education and poverty.

The Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) released the results of the “Life Satisfaction Survey” for the year 2024. It revealed that the percentage of individuals, aged 18 and above, declaring themselves happy decreased from 52.7% in 2023 to 49.6% in 2024, a 3.1-point decline. The percentage of individuals declaring themselves unhappy was 13.7% in 2023, increasing by 0.8 points last year to 14.5%. The rate of men declaring themselves happy decreased from 50.3% in 2023 to 46.9% last year. For women, during the same period, this rate decreased from 55.1% to 52.3%.

It was determined that married individuals are happier than unmarried individuals. The percentage of married individuals declaring themselves happy was 52.5% last year, while for unmarried individuals, this figure was 44%. When the happiness level of married individuals was examined by gender, it was observed that 49.5% of married men and 55.4% of married women were happy.

The happiness level according to age groups indicated that in the 25-34 age group, the happiness rate increased from 50.7% in 2023 to 51% last year. In all other age groups except the 25-34 group, the happiness rate decreased. The age group with the most significant decrease in happiness rate was the 45-54 group, recording a decrease of 7.1 points. The happiness rate in this group decreased from 53.6% in 2023 to 46.5% last year. It was estimated that the happiness rate in the 55-64 age group decreased by 2.2 points compared to the previous year, reaching 47.5%. For individuals aged 65 and above, this rate was 56% in 2023, decreasing by 1.9 points in 2024 to 54.1%.

When it comes to sources of happiness for individuals, 72.9% stated that their families made them the happiest, followed by 13.2% for children, 4.2% for themselves, 3.4% for their spouses, and 3% for their parents. In terms of values that made individuals happy, being healthy was ranked first with 68.3% last year. This was followed by 14.4% for love, 8.9% for success, 6.4% for money, and 1.8% for work.

Out of 100 people, 64 expressed hope for their future in 2024. The rate of men hopeful for the future was 63.6%, while for women, it was calculated as 64.9%. The average life satisfaction level, calculated by considering the overall satisfaction of individuals with their lives, was 5.7 in 2023 and 2024. For men, the average life satisfaction level increased from 5.6 in 2023 to 5.7, while for women, it decreased from 5.8 to 5.7 last year.

Looking at satisfaction levels from public services, in 2024, 72.1% expressed satisfaction with security services, followed by 67.4% with transportation, 63.2% with healthcare, 58.8% with the Social Security Institution, 55.9% with the judiciary, and 53.5% with education services.

When it comes to the most significant issue in the country, last year, cost of living ranked first at 29.2%, followed by education at 15.7% and poverty at 14%.