In this article, we explore the subjective well-being of empty nesters who lived in rural eastern China (N = 967). The Memorial University of Newfoundland Scale of Happiness is used to measure subjective well-being. The results indicate that Memorial University of Newfoundland Scale of Happiness is appropriate for empty nesters in rural China due to its reliability and validity. Generally, male empty nesters report greater subjective well-being scores than females. Negative factors include low levels of education, being a widow or widower, or being unmarried. It is argued that the empty nesters' incapability to access adequate social service and home care leads to their poor subjective well-being.
Keywords: Memorial University of Newfoundland Scale of Happiness; aging population; empty nesters; rural China; subjective well-being.