Are older people happier than younger people?

Studies generally agree that older people grow happier with age, although why isn't clear. The Journal of Happiness Studies says age 48 is when men rate themselves happier than women, perhaps because as young adults, these men focused more on career achievements and realized their goals by middle age. But this doesn't hold true for everyone: A 2008 University College London study notes that women age 50 and older are more optimistic than men.