A new snapshot of health across Europe reveals a striking contrast between generations: while most young people feel healthy, confidence drops sharply with age—falling to just

40% among those aged 65 and over.

In 2024, nearly seven in ten people across the European Union (68.5%) described their health as either “very good” or “good.” At the other end of the scale, 8.5% rated their health as “bad” or “very bad,” while almost a quarter (23.0%) considered it “fair.”

Age plays a decisive role in how people perceive their well-being. Among younger Europeans aged 16 to 24, an overwhelming 91.3% reported feeling in good or very good health. However, this sense of well-being steadily declines over time, dropping to 61.1% for those aged 55 to 64. Beyond 65, the figure falls even further, with just 40% of older adults maintaining a positive view of their health.

Significant differences also emerge between countries. Ireland stands out with the highest proportion of older residents—62%—who say they are in good or very good health. Belgium (57.4%) and Luxembourg (56.8%) follow closely behind.

At the opposite end of the ranking, far fewer seniors report good health in some parts of Europe. In Lithuania, only 12.5% of people aged 65 and over perceive their health positively. Latvia (13.1%) and Portugal (19.1%) also report notably low shares.

The data highlights not only the impact of ageing on health perception but also persistent inequalities across the EU, suggesting that where people live can significantly shape how healthy they feel later in life. Photo by Andreas Lehner, Wikimedia commons.