Satisfaction with social life still below pre-pandemic levels

© ANP / Robin Utrecht
A total of 80 percent of Dutch people aged 18 and older were satisfied with their social lives in 2023. That was a little higher than in 2020. At the same time there was a drop in the proportion of people satisfied with the amount of leisure time they have, following an increase during the pandemic years. This is clear from the latest figures released by Statistics Netherlands (CBS). The findings are based on the Social Cohesion and Well-Being survey, which is conducted every year and involves over 7 thousand people.

In 2023, 80 percent of adults were satisfied with their social lives, while 15 percent said they were dissatisfied and 5 percent were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. This result means the proportion of people who are satisfied with their social lives increased for the second consecutive year, but has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, 83 percent of adults were satisfied with their social lives, as it had been in preceding years. In 2020, this dropped to 80 percent, and in 2021 it was 76 percent, the lowest since the survey began in 2013.

Lower satisfaction with amount of leisure time

A total of 74 percent of adults said they were satisfied with the amount of leisure time they had in 2023, virtually the same as in 2019. This figure declined for the second consecutive year. During the period of the pandemic (2020-21), by contrast, more people said they were satisfied with the amount of leisure time they had: 76 percent.

When it comes to 'satisfaction with life in general', 84 percent of adults say they are satisfied. There was no change from previous years in this respect, either during or before the pandemic.

People who have little social contact feel much less satisfied

People who have frequent contact with other people are the most likely to be satisfied with their social life. This includes contact with family, as well as friends or neighbours. Since 2013, satisfaction among people who have little social contact has dropped significantly. This has led to a wider gap in satisfaction between those with more frequent social contact and those with little social contact. This is the clearest in people’s contact with family or friends.

In 2013, 85 percent of those who had daily contact with family were satisfied with their social lives, compared with 65 percent of those who seldom or never had contact with their family. This gap widened further in 2023: 84 percent compared to 45 percent.