Millennials Require $525K Annual Salary for Happiness, Says Poll

Empower poll reveals generational differences in financial happiness, with Millennials' aspirations shaped by economic challenges of their formative years.

According to a new poll by financial firm Empower, Millennials believe they need an annual salary of $525,947 to 'feel happy', which is more than four times the amount Baby Boomers say they need ($124,165).
Gen X and Gen Z, the generations adjacent to Millennials, each require roughly $130,000 annually to feel happy.
Millennials also have the highest desired net worth at $1.7 million, compared to Gen Z's $487,711, Gen X's $1.2 million, and Boomers' $999,945.
Empower attributes Millennials' high financial aspirations to the economic challenges they faced in their formative years, such as the 2008 financial crisis.
Despite these aspirations, the average net worth of Millennials, most of whom are in their 30s, is currently $275,413.