Your Best Years of Life May Come Later Than You Think

When Do Americans Experience Their Best Years of Life?

Key Takeaways

• Among Americans under 30, 34% choose their 20s as the best decade of their lives, compared with just 12% of adults aged 65 and older.

• Women are more likely than men to believe most people’s best years begin after turning 30.

• Nearly one-third (32%) of Americans aged 65 and older choose their 60s or 70s as their best decade.

Are your 20s really the best years of your life? While youth is often portrayed as life’s golden age, Americans’ answers to this question vary considerably by age.

This visualization uses data from a YouGov survey conducted November 19–23, 2025, among 1,131 U.S. adult citizens. It shows which decade Americans believe was, or will be, the best of their lives, revealing how perspectives differ across age groups.

How the Results Break Down by Age

The table below shows the share of Americans in each age group who selected a particular decade as the best of their lives.

Decade of LifeAge Group Surveyed

18–2930–4445–6465+All adults

0–912%6%4%0%5%

10–1916%6%7%3%8%

20–2934%26%17%12%22%

30–3918%28%19%15%20%

40–495%12%14%17%12%

50–592%7%15%10%9%

60–690%0%10%14%7%

70–790%0%1%15%4%

80–891%1%0%3%1%

90–990%1%0%0%0%

100+0%1%0%0%0%

Across all respondents, the 20s are the most popular choice at 22%, followed closely by the 30s at 20%. Together, these two decades account for 42% of responses, though preferences differ substantially across age groups.

Are Your 20s Really Your Best Years?

Among adults aged 18–29, 34% choose their 20s as their best decade. That figure falls to 26% among those aged 30–44, 17% among those aged 45–64, and just 12% among Americans aged 65 and older.

This pattern challenges the familiar idea that life’s best years are concentrated in early adulthood. However, because the survey compares different age groups at a single point in time, it cannot establish whether individuals’ views change as they grow older.

The Appeal of Your 30s and 40s

The survey also reveals differences by gender and parenthood.

According to YouGov’s analysis, 52% of women believe most people’s best years begin at age 30 or later, compared with 39% of men. Women are also more likely to choose the 30s specifically (25% versus 19%).

Parenthood also appears to shape people’s answers. Among Americans raising children under 18, 31% choose their 30s as the best decade of their own lives, compared with 17% of other adults. Parents are also more likely to favor their 40s (18% versus 11%).

A Different Perspective on Life’s Best Years

Among Americans aged 65 and older, no single decade dominates. Their 40s are the most popular choice at 17%, followed closely by their 30s and 70s at 15% each.

In fact, 32% of older Americans choose their 60s or 70s as their best decade, compared with just 12% who choose their 20s.

One important distinction is that younger respondents may be judging decades they have not yet experienced, while older Americans can draw on a longer personal history. Among adults aged 65 and older, six different decades, from their 20s through their 70s, each receive between 10% and 17% of responses.

Rather than pointing to one universal peak, the findings suggest that life’s best years can come at many different stages.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed this visualization, check out this chart that shows the world’s population and happiness levels on the Voronoi app.