What would you say were your best years? Sure, you might think the best is yet to come and how could you possibly know until you’ve lived your life which was the greatest part of it, but so far?

Most people, it turns out, believe their very best years were their 20s – good news for the many millennials who are perhaps wondering when the good times will kick in.

And all is not lost for the older millennials among us either, as the second most-rated decade was between the ages of 30 and 39.

A new YouGov survey polled 2,000 people over the age of 20, and overall, 30% said their 20s were their “best years so far”, while 16% said their 30s.

Though many of us perhaps wouldn’t rate our adolescence as peak years of contentment, 12% said they rated their teenage years the best of their life so far.

As the YouGov press release points out, those surveyed who are currently in their 20s have fewer time periods to choose from – 40% said their current age range was their favourite, which probably makes sense given the rest of it was in school.

However, most of those currently in their 30s also said their 20s were their best years, as did those currently in their 40s, 50s and 60s.

The trend only changed for those in their 70s (who rated their 20s and 30s equally) and those in their 80s – who said 40-49 was the age they preferred.

If you’re worrying your very best you has passed you by without making a ripple, don’t be too concerned: it’s of course worth remembering that anyone’s idea of what constitutes best is highly subjective.

And hey, the only way is up. Which is, as those of us enough past our 20s will know, a reference to Yazz and not The Only Way is Essex.

Image: Roberto Nickson

Most people say their “best years” were between these ages