37%
2024 (latest)
LIFE IS EXCITING
percent of adults who find life exciting · 1973–2024 · higher is better · NORC General Social Survey (cumulative file 1972–2024)
47%
1973
53%
high · 2002
35%
low · 2021
−9.2 pts
since 1973
┊ dashed lines mark 1979 Oil shock & inflation peak · 1987 Black Monday crash · 1991 Gulf War recession · 2001 Dot-com bust & 9/11 · 2008 Global financial crisis · 2020 COVID-19 pandemic
Method & caveats. In general, do you find life exciting, pretty routine, or dull? NORC General Social Survey cumulative file, computed here from the public microdata: weighted (WTSSPS, NORC's post-stratification weight available for every year 1972–2024) share of valid responses. 2021 moved to a push-to-web design during the pandemic and 2022/2024 are mixed-mode; NORC advises caution comparing 2021+ with the in-person years, so treat 2021 as a seam. Years with fewer than 200 weighted responses are dropped.
Sources
Every value on this page is read from the publisher below. Current and historical source documents:
- https://gss.norc.org/get-the-data/stata.html
- https://gss.norc.org/content/dam/gss/get-the-data/documents/stata/GSS_stata.zip
- https://github.com/danielmiessler/substrate/tree/main/Data/US-Societal-Health
Data
| Year | Life Is Exciting | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 37% | −5.7 pts |
| 2022 | 43% | +7.9 pts |
| 2021 | 35% | −17 pts |
| 2018 | 52% | +0.4 pts |
| 2016 | 51% | +0.1 pts |
| 2014 | 51% | −1.6 pts |
| 2012 | 53% | +0.7 pts |
| 2010 | 52% | +4.4 pts |
| 2008 | 48% | −3.4 pts |
| 2006 | 51% | +2.8 pts |
| 2004 | 48% | −4.7 pts |
| 2002 | 53% | +6.4 pts |
| 2000 | 47% | +1.2 pts |
| 1998 | 45% | −5.2 pts |
| 1996 | 51% | +2.6 pts |
| 1994 | 48% | +1.7 pts |
| 1993 | 46% | +0.8 pts |
| 1991 | 45% | +1.2 pts |
| 1990 | 44% | −0.8 pts |
| 1989 | 45% | −1.8 pts |
| 1988 | 47% | +1.6 pts |
| 1987 | 45% | −2.5 pts |
| 1985 | 48% | +1.4 pts |
| 1984 | 46% | −0.2 pts |
| 1982 | 47% | −1.2 pts |
| 1980 | 48% | +2.1 pts |
| 1977 | 46% | +0.4 pts |
| 1976 | 45% | +1.9 pts |
| 1974 | 43% | −3.2 pts |
| 1973 | 47% | — |
Also in Happiness & Outlook