Similar shares of Hispanic women and men say they are satisfied with their family and social lives and the quality of life in their communities.
Some groups of Latinas are more likely to feel upbeat about their lives than others. Immigrants, Republicans and older age groups are more likely than other Latinas to say they are happy and to be satisfied with their family life.
This chapter explores Latinas’ satisfaction and happiness with life and the things in life that bring them joy.
How satisfied are Latinas with their lives?
Over half (56%) of Hispanic women say they are extremely or very satisfied with their family life. Smaller shares are satisfied with their social life (36%) and the quality of life in their local community (34%). Just one-in-five Hispanic women (21%) say they are satisfied with their personal financial situation.
Hispanic men have mostly similar views, though they are somewhat more likely to say they are extremely or very satisfied with their social life (41%).
Most Latinas say they have enough time to do the things they want to do, with 34% saying they extremely or very often have enough time and 45% saying they sometimes have the time. Similar shares of men say the same.
Family life
Overall, 88% of Hispanic women are at least somewhat satisfied with their family life. Half or more are extremely or very satisfied with their family life across all age groups, education levels, immigrant generations and political party affiliations. However, there are some differences within these groups:
- Age: 63% of Hispanic women ages 65 and older are extremely or very satisfied with their family life, compared with 52% of those 18 to 29.
- Nativity: 62% of Hispanic women who are immigrants are satisfied with their family life, compared with 51% of those born in the U.S.
- Political party: 62% of Hispanic women who identify as Republicans or lean toward the Republican Party say they are satisfied with their family life, compared with 54% of Hispanic women who identify as or lean Democratic.
How do Latinas rate their happiness?
Overall, 86% of Latinas say they are at least somewhat happy with the way things are in their life these days – 43% are extremely or very happy and another 43% are somewhat happy. Meanwhile, 14% say they are not too happy or not at all happy.
Among Latinas, half of both immigrants and Republicans say they are extremely or very happy with the way things are in their life. By contrast, smaller shares of U.S.-born Latinas (36%) and Democratic Latinas (40%) say they are happy with their life.
Latinas who are parents are also more likely to be extremely or very happy with their life, as are Latinas who are married or living with a partner.
Latinas ages 30 and older are more likely than those ages 18 to 29 to say they are happy.
Where do Hispanic women find joy?
Most Hispanic women (78%) say spending time with family or friends brings them a great deal or fair amount of joy or fulfillment. A majority (58%) say the same about traveling, while about half say so about outdoor activities (49%), and their spiritual or religious practices (47%).
Hispanic men are less likely to say they get a great deal or fair amount of joy or fulfillment from spending time with family or friends (71%), traveling (52%), their spiritual or religious practices (35%) and creating or experiencing the arts (29%). By contrast, Hispanic men are slightly more likely to say participating in sports or exercise brings them joy (40%).
Certain groups of Hispanic women are more likely to take joy in spiritual or religious practices:
- Age: 57% of those 65 and older say their spiritual or religious practices bring them joy or fulfillment, compared with 35% of those 18 to 29.
- Nativity: 53% of immigrants find joy in spiritual or religious practices, compared with 43% of those born in the U.S.
- Political party affiliation: 59% of Republicans and those who lean Republican say spiritual or religious practices bring them joy, compared with 39% of Democrats and Democratic leaners.
Among Latinas, some of the biggest differences in sources of joy come from those with different levels of education:
- 75% of Latina college graduates say traveling brings them joy, compared with 47% of Latinas with a high school diploma or less.
- 53% of college graduates say creating or experiencing the arts brings them joy, compared with 28% of those who completed high school or less.
- Among Latinas who are not retired, 50% of college graduates say their job or career brings them joy, compared with 28% of those with a high school diploma or less.
- 46% of college graduates say participating in sports or exercising brings them joy, compared with 30% of those with no more than a high school diploma.
