New data from Jersey’s annual lifestyle survey suggests that more households are cutting back on essentials, younger adults are reporting rising long-term health problems, and overall wellbeing remains lower than in the UK.
The Jersey Opinions and Lifestyle Survey, published yesterday by Statistics Jersey, sets out a detailed picture of how people are living and coping across the Island.
The findings show that, of those who responded, 15% of households went without a cooked main meal each day, 23% could not afford enough heating to keep their home warm, and 13% reported they could not afford a car.
Life satisfaction:
Adults in the UK reported higher levels of life satisfaction, feeling worthwhile and happiness than people living in Jersey.
The differences were most pronounced among women. UK women recorded 10% higher life satisfaction, 11% higher worthwhile scores and 7% higher happiness than women in Jersey. Among men the differences were smaller: 6%, 4% and 1% respectively.
Anxiety levels were also lower in the UK. UK men reported anxiety scores 6% lower than Jersey men, and UK women 15% lower than Jersey women.
Average scores for life satisfaction, feeling worthwhile, and happiness dipped in midlife, with adults aged 45 to 54 reporting the lowest levels. Anxiety, however, was highest among adults aged 16 to 34.
Cost of living:
Around 30% of households that responded to the survey said they found it difficult to cope financially – down down from 35% in 2024.
The proportion was considerably higher among vulnerable groups, with 69% of single-parent households reporting difficulty, along with more than half of those in non-qualified or social rental housing.
Two-fifths (41%) of respondents went without at least one item in the past 12 months due to lack of money – higher than in 2017 (34%), while 15% cent of households went without a cooked main meal each day, 16% went without fresh fruit or vegetables, and 19% were unable to afford meat, chicken or fish every second day.
A week’s holiday away from home also remained unaffordable for many, with 36% of households that took part in the survey saying they were unable to afford one.
Items that households went without included a colour television (5%), a telephone (5%), a washing machine (6%) and an internet connection for personal use (7%).
Health:
One of the most significant shifts recorded in the 2025 survey is the rise in long-term health conditions among younger adults. The proportion of 16- to 34-year-olds reporting a long-term condition has risen from 12% in 2017 to 30% in 2025 – meaning almost one in three young adults now lives with a long-term health issue.
The figures showed that 35% of adults reported a long-term condition in 2025, up from 26% in 2017. Women continued to report higher levels than men.
One in five adults (22%) had, or were concerned they had, high blood pressure, while one in fourteen (7%) had, or were concerned they had Type 2 Diabetes.
One in seven (14%) identified as having a neurodiverse condition; the most common being ADHD (6%), dyslexia (5%) and autism (5%).
The proportion of adults classified as overweight or obese has increased from 46% in 2017 to 56% in 2025. The rate remained higher among men (66%) than women (48%).
In physical activity, 54% of adults met the recommended weekly levels, similar to 2023 (55%) but higher than 2019 (48%). Meeting activity guidelines was more common among men, younger adults, those in good health, and adults who were “time sufficient.”
Smoking and drinking:
Overall, 11% of adults were current smokers and and 9% vape.
Vaping was highest among younger adults: 15% of 16- to 34-year-olds vape, compared with 4% in 2017, and nearly half (46%) have tried vaping at least once.
The proportion of adults who never drink alcohol (16%) has increased since 2018 (11%). Women (19%) were more likely to be tee-total than men (13%), according to the survey.
One in six (15%) adults reported drinking more than the recommended weekly limit of 14 units of alcohol, down from 24% in 2020. Men (21%) were more likely to drink above the limit than women (10%).
Safety, crime and discrimination:
Women were significantly less likely than men to feel safe across the Island. During the day, 54% of women felt very safe in a park and 56% in a quiet street close to home, but after dark this fell to 11% and 19%.
Men reported higher levels of safety in every setting. A total of 73% felt very safe in a park during the day and 36% after dark, while 76% felt very safe in a quiet street during the day compared with 47% at night.
Almost half of men surveyed strongly agreed that Jersey is a safe place for everyone, compared with 28% of women. Women were also more likely than men to worry that they may become a victim of crime.
Adults were most concerned about digital crime, with more than half (56%) of adults concerned they may become a victim.
Two-thirds (66%) of adults aged 55 to 64 years were concerned about digital crime, compared to 38% of 16- to 34-year-olds.
Overall, a quarter (23%) of adults had been discriminated against in the last 12 months; this increased to nearly a third (30%) of 16- to 34-year-olds.
Of adults who had been discriminated against, a quarter (25%) reported the incident to the police.
