What Is My Mental Age?

Take this quiz to find out!

Sure, you know your actual age, but what about your mental age? Your mental age is how old you are emotionally and personality-wise, and it can actually be very different from your real age.

You might be a twenty-something with an old soul, or maybe you’re comfortably in your fifties but brimming with youthful energy. Or perhaps your mental age and actual age are pretty similar after all. There’s only one way to find out—take this quiz!

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Questions Overview

1. You look out the window of your dream home—what do you see?
  1. A bustling city street full of people and dazzling lights.
  2. A field of wildflowers stretching for miles in all directions.
  3. My best friend’s house—they live right across the street!
  4. A quaint, charming neighborhood with lush grass and beautiful trees.
2. A present arrives in the mail. What do you hope it is?
  1. The brand new gaming console I've been wanting for months.
  2. A box full of all the arts and crafts supplies I could ever need.
  3. A shiny new robot vacuum for cleaning my floors.
  4. A warm, plush blanket in my favorite color.
3. It’s a Friday night and you can’t wait to…
  1. Watch that honey bee documentary my friend was raving about.
  2. Have friends over for a low-key game night.
  3. Go dancing with friends and stay out until dawn.
  4. Curl up in a chair with some tea and a new book.
4. Your alarm clock starts ringing at 7 a.m.—what do you do?
  1. Startle awake, groan, then hit snooze aggressively.
  2. I'm up before then anyway, so this wouldn’t really affect me.
  3. Turn it off, get up slowly, and say hello to the new day.
  4. Rip off the covers, jump out of bed, and run to the kitchen for breakfast.
5. On your bookshelf, you’re most likely to find…
  1. Photos of family, treasured mementos, and cute knick-knacks.
  2. Magazines, filled-up journals, and my sketchbook.
  3. Old copies of National Geographic and rows of historical fiction.
  4. My vinyl collection, some candles, and a funky thrifted lamp.
6. Your wardrobe is packed to the brim with…
  1. Comfortable basics. Tees, hoodies, and sweats are a must.
  2. Business casual attire. I like to look polished!
  3. Who knows. I just wear whatever I grab first.
  4. Whatever’s in style—I like to keep up with trends.
7. If the world could see the most used app on your phone, what would it be?
  1. TikTok
  2. YouTube
  3. Facebook
  4. Instagram
8. How would you describe your day-to-day emotional experience?
  1. Like a rollercoaster. Up, down, and all around.
  2. Like a train. Some jolts along the way, but steady overall.
  3. Like a lost ship. Swaying and unsure of which way to go.
  4. Like a carriage. Slow, predictable, and pleasant.
9. When your closest friend describes you, they probably say you’re…
  1. Wild, adventurous, and always up for a good time.
  2. Wise, contemplative, and content.
  3. Stable, accomplished, and confident.
  4. Playful, energetic, and hopeful.
10. You’re on Jeopardy and the category is “TikTok Trends”—how ready are you?
  1. I've never been more ready for anything.
  2. Cautiously optimistic, but nervous.
  3. Not ready. This is not my category.
  4. Not at all, but I'll give it my best shot.
11. You’re daydreaming. What are you thinking about?
  1. What I'm going to have for dessert later.
  2. Sandy beaches, crystal blue water, and palm trees.
  3. The ending of the riveting book I just finished.
  4. My crush.
12. Which of the following quotes speaks to you most?
  1. “Life will take you to amazing places if you have the courage to try.”
  2. “Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.”
  3. “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”
  4. “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”

More Quizzes

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Your high energy and childlike sense of wonder take you far in life. When you\u2019re not laughing with your friends or finding creative ways to express yourself (arts and crafts<\/a>, perhaps?), you\u2019re probably exploring nature or fantasizing about epic stories in your head.

At the end of the day, you
prioritize joy, fun, and play<\/a>, and you never take yourself too seriously. While some people might think your head is in the clouds, they just don\u2019t understand the level of pure bliss you\u2019re operating on.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Embrace-Your-Inner-Child"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Feel-Like-a-Kid-Again"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Embrace Your Inner Child","id":71506,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Embrace-Your-Inner-Child","image":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/88\/Embrace-Your-Inner-Child-Step-16-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Embrace-Your-Inner-Child-Step-16-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Embrace Your Inner Child"},{"title":"How to Feel Like a Kid Again","id":227323,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Feel-Like-a-Kid-Again","image":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/00\/Feel-Like-a-Kid-Again-Step-26-Version-5.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Feel-Like-a-Kid-Again-Step-26-Version-5.jpg","alt":"How to Feel Like a Kid Again"}],"minimum":0,"image":"","image_url":""},{"number":2,"text":"Your mental age is 18-21.","meaning":"You\u2019re young at heart (but wiser than people might think!). You\u2019re not concerned with what society and other people want from you. You\u2019re too busy focusing on what actually matters\u2014your social circle<\/a> and rich inner world.

Sure, you can be a little moody sometimes, but it\u2019s only because you
feel things so deeply<\/a>. And that deep emotional well makes you a kind, loyal friend.

In your free time, you love chilling with your friends, holing up in your room where no one can bother you, and scrolling on your phone in search of interesting articles and funny videos.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Things-to-Do-when-Bored-with-Friends"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Games-for-Teenagers"}],"link_data":[{"title":"50+ Things to Do With Friends When You\u2019re Bored: Free, Creative, & Exciting Activities","id":13711305,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Things-to-Do-when-Bored-with-Friends","image":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/2c\/Things-to-Do-when-Bored-with-Friends-Step-25.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Things-to-Do-when-Bored-with-Friends-Step-25.jpg","alt":"50+ Things to Do With Friends When You\u2019re Bored: Free, Creative, & Exciting Activities"},{"title":"The 24 Best Party Games for Teens & How to Play Them","id":13662178,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Games-for-Teenagers","image":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a8\/Games-for-Teenagers-Step-24.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Games-for-Teenagers-Step-24.jpg","alt":"The 24 Best Party Games for Teens & How to Play Them"}],"minimum":0,"image":"","image_url":""},{"number":3,"text":"Your mental age is 25-29.","meaning":"Mentally, you\u2019re young, wild, and free. Invited to that new restaurant downtown? You\u2019ll be there. Spontaneous plans to go to a music festival? You\u2019re in. You love to experience new things and take advantage of all life has to offer.

Sometimes your life can feel a little directionless, but you mostly don\u2019t mind. You\u2019re too busy
enjoying yourself<\/a>! Living in the moment<\/a> and not worrying too much about the future is your life mantra, and you do it better than most.

Nothing sounds better to you than a fun night out dancing, a delicious brunch at your favorite spot, or staying up until dawn having hilarious\/existential convos with your friends. You truly are the life of any party, and people love you for it.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Places-to-Hang-Out-with-Friends"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Have-a-Great-Party"}],"link_data":[{"title":"26 Inexpensive Ways to Have Fun with Your Friends Any Time of the Week","id":13287731,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Places-to-Hang-Out-with-Friends","image":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/f1\/Places-to-Hang-Out-with-Friends-Step-26.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Places-to-Hang-Out-with-Friends-Step-26.jpg","alt":"26 Inexpensive Ways to Have Fun with Your Friends Any Time of the Week"},{"title":"How to Have a Great Party","id":837621,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Have-a-Great-Party","image":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/2f\/Have-a-Great-Party-Step-10-Version-4.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Have-a-Great-Party-Step-10-Version-4.jpg","alt":"How to Have a Great Party"}],"minimum":0,"image":"","image_url":""},{"number":4,"text":"Your mental age is 30-35.","meaning":"You\u2019re more responsible and level-headed than most of your peers, but you still know how to cut loose and have fun. Basically, you\u2019re the best of both worlds!

Because you understand the importance of balance, your life is stable but also rich with exciting, fun experiences.
Going traveling<\/a> with friends? Check. Trying that hip new restaurant downtown? You\u2019re in. But you\u2019re always home at a reasonable hour so you get a good night\u2019s sleep<\/a>. Taking care of yourself is important to you.

You\u2019re secure in who you are and really don\u2019t care what other people think of you. As long as you\u2019re happy and healthy, that\u2019s all that matters.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Have-a-Balanced-Life"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Embrace-Your-30s-and-Not-Fear-Getting-Older"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Have a Balanced Life","id":3460132,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Have-a-Balanced-Life","image":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/fc\/Be-Good-Looking-Step-9.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Be-Good-Looking-Step-9.jpg","alt":"How to Have a Balanced Life"},{"title":"How to Embrace Your 30s and Not Fear Getting Older","id":386170,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Embrace-Your-30s-and-Not-Fear-Getting-Older","image":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/17\/Embrace-Your-30s-and-Not-Fear-Getting-Older-Step-20.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Embrace-Your-30s-and-Not-Fear-Getting-Older-Step-20.jpg","alt":"How to Embrace Your 30s and Not Fear Getting Older"}],"minimum":0,"image":"","image_url":""},{"number":5,"text":"Your mental age is 45-50.","meaning":"You know who you are and what you want in life. You\u2019re able to think rationally (even when other people can\u2019t), and you can keep your emotions in check in tough situations. Basically, you\u2019re a stable boulder in a world full of pebbles.

You feel happiest doing peaceful, mindful activities, like cooking a new recipe, chatting about books with friends while drinking tea, or going on an early-morning hike. It\u2019s not that your life is slow or dull\u2014you just don\u2019t have time for the chaos and drama associated with being young.

Since you\u2019re so confident and content with yourself, you have more mental energy to dedicate to the things you really love. From
learning a new language<\/a> to picking up a new hobby<\/a>, you\u2019re always looking to explore new things and better yourself (and you\u2019re really good at it).","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Relax"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Gain-Wisdom"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Relax","id":22286,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Relax","image":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/f7\/Relax-Step-14-Version-4.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Relax-Step-14-Version-4.jpg","alt":"How to Relax"},{"title":"How to Gain Knowledge and Wisdom","id":612768,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Gain-Wisdom","image":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d3\/Gain-Wisdom-Step-13.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Gain-Wisdom-Step-13.jpg","alt":"How to Gain Knowledge and Wisdom"}],"minimum":0,"image":"","image_url":""},{"number":6,"text":"Your mental age is 60-65.","meaning":"You\u2019re self-assured, content, and knowledgeable. Trivial things don\u2019t phase you like they do other people. You\u2019re too focused on what really matters: the things that bring you joy.

And those things are plentiful!
Gardening<\/a>, going for a walk in nature<\/a>, spending time with loved ones\u2014basically, any activity that gives you space to reflect and be grateful is right up your alley.

You prefer to take things slow and savor every moment. Why rush through life when there\u2019s so much to be happy about in the present moment? Your calm, mindful energy is infectious\u2014when people are around you, they can\u2019t help but to slow down and smell the roses (and they love you for it!).","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Practice-Gratitude"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Live-a-Simple-and-Peaceful-Life"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Practice Gratitude","id":1757622,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Practice-Gratitude","image":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/fe\/Stop-Judging-and-Criticizing-People-Step-9.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Stop-Judging-and-Criticizing-People-Step-9.jpg","alt":"How to Practice Gratitude"},{"title":"How to Live a Simple and Peaceful Life","id":374720,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Live-a-Simple-and-Peaceful-Life","image":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/ab\/Live-a-Simple-and-Peaceful-Life-Step-16-Version-3.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Live-a-Simple-and-Peaceful-Life-Step-16-Version-3.jpg","alt":"How to Live a Simple and Peaceful Life"}],"minimum":0,"image":"","image_url":""},{"number":7,"text":"Your mental age is 75-80.","meaning":"You\u2019re wise beyond your years. That\u2019s not to say you\u2019re old and stuffy though (you still know how to have a good time!). You just see things for how they really are and know more about life than most other people.

Friends often come to you for
advice<\/a>, and you always seem to know the right thing to say. Someone\u2019s having relationship problems? You know the solution. A loved one is feeling down? You have just the right kernel of wisdom to share with them to cheer them up.

In your free time, you love to
reflect<\/a> and think about the bigger picture of life. Petty day-to-day problems don\u2019t really affect you much since you know that, at the end of the day, they ultimately don\u2019t matter. What really matters to you is love, friendships, and treating others with kindness. After all, isn\u2019t that what life is all about?","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Live-a-Long-Life"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Reflect"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Live a Long Life","id":21559,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Live-a-Long-Life","image":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/57\/Live-a-Long-Life-Step-19-Version-3.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Live-a-Long-Life-Step-19-Version-3.jpg","alt":"How to Live a Long Life"},{"title":"How to Reflect","id":895189,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Reflect","image":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/aa\/Reflect-Step-9-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Reflect-Step-9-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Reflect"}],"minimum":0,"image":"","image_url":""}]" class="quiz_results_data"/>\"Type<\/picture>","alt":"Type A B C D Personality Test"},{"title":"Am I Millennial or Gen Z Quiz","id":13748876,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Millennial-vs-Gen-Z","image":"\"Millennial<\/picture>","alt":"Am I Millennial or Gen Z Quiz"},{"title":"Introvert or Extrovert Quiz","id":13737789,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Introvert-or-Extrovert-Quiz","image":"\"Introvert<\/picture>","alt":"Introvert or Extrovert Quiz"}],"number":1},{"text":"Something focused on my relationships with others.","result":"Great! We have some quizzes on relationships, just right for you:","next_quizzes":[{"title":"Codependency Quiz","id":13613173,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Relationships\/Codependency-Quiz","image":"\"Codependency<\/picture>","alt":"Codependency Quiz"},{"title":"Is My Friend Toxic Quiz","id":13445321,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Relationships\/Is-My-Friend-Toxic-Quiz","image":"\"Is<\/picture>","alt":"Is My Friend Toxic Quiz"},{"title":"Am I Being Gaslighted Quiz","id":13381787,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Relationships\/Am-I-Being-Gaslighted-Quiz","image":"\"Am<\/picture>","alt":"Am I Being Gaslighted Quiz"}],"number":2}]}" class="quiz_questionnaire_data"/>

The History of Mental Age Tests

Did you know that mental age is actually a concept that originated in the field of psychology? In 1905, French psychologist Alfred Binet co-created the first ever intelligence test. When children taking the test scored higher than most other children of the same chronological age, it was said that the high-scorers had a higher mental age than their actual age. If they scored lower, they had a lower mental age. From there, the idea of “mental age” was born!

Nowadays, mental age theory has fallen out of favor with psychologists since it’s overly simplistic and doesn’t take into account individuals’ unique skills and ways of learning. Plus, many people find the concept of mental age to be limiting. After all, people are constantly learning and developing new skills, so telling someone they have a fixed mental age of 20, for example, doesn’t feel very fair or accurate.

Instead, psychologists today aim to use more nuanced, holistic intelligence quotient (IQ) tests that factor in the background of the test taker. And IQ is no longer thought of as fixed. Basically, experts now know that intelligence is complex and multifaceted (and therefore intelligence tests need to be too!).

Unlike the psychology-based mental age tests of the past, our mental age test is just for fun and does not represent your level of intelligence. Instead, think of this test as a fun way to see how similar you are to people in different age groups based on your personality and preferences. And remember: just like your personality can change over time, so can your mental age.

Reader Success Stories

  • Anonymous

    Nov 22

    "I'm 13 and got the age 13. I feel so relieved for some reason—I've always felt like I'm mentally ..." more
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