@TexasUberAlles  

 
She probably is, too.  
Twilight, with the direct tutelage of the actual empress of Equestria (well, princess technically, but Celestia’s practically an empress), has only been considered ‘ready’ for leadership for about a year.  
Starlight’s implied to have been in charge of Our Town for a while.  
I figure it’s got to at least be several years; The immigrants came ‘looking for something missing in their lives’, and I can’t imagine there are that many ponies who wander into essentially the wastelands to look for somewhere that’d accept them.  
Plus, everyone, even the children who’d probably be too young to be affected by subtle threats, seemed indoctrinated.
 
So, yeah, I’m pretty sure Starlight’s at least a year, probably several, older than Twilight.

(Baymax voice) There. There.

“There, there, poor wayward soul.”

Oh my, that’s cute. This is becoming my new favorite ship.

“…I’m a year older than you.”

I read the patting as purring from the thumbnail

I sense that Starlight’s part annoyed by being treated as a kid and part ridiculously pleased at making Twilight happy.