New Gallup Poll Reveals Record-Low American Optimism/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ A new Gallup poll shows Americans’ optimism about their future has fallen to its lowest level on record. Future expectations have declined faster than satisfaction with current life, signaling deepening national gloom. Democrats and Hispanic Americans show the sharpest drops, while Republicans remain less optimistic than in Trump’s first term.
Americans’ Gloom and Optimism – Quick Looks
- Only 59% of Americans feel positive about their lives five years from now
- Lowest future-optimism rating since Gallup began tracking nearly 20 years ago
- Less than half of Americans now classified as “thriving”
- Democrats’ optimism fell sharply during the White House transition
- Hispanic Americans report growing pessimism tied to economic and immigration concerns
- Republicans still less optimistic than in Trump’s first term
Deep Look: New Gallup Poll Reveals Record-Low American Optimism
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans’ confidence in their future has dropped to a new low, underscoring a growing sense of pessimism that cuts across political and demographic lines, according to new data from Gallup.
In 2025, just 59% of Americans rated their expected quality of life five years from now highly — the lowest annual reading since Gallup began asking the question nearly two decades ago. The finding highlights how sharply optimism has eroded, even more than satisfaction with life today.
Gallup’s long-running survey asks respondents to rate both their current and future lives on a 0-to-10 scale. Americans who score their future at an 8 or higher are considered optimistic. While views of present-day life have declined gradually over the past decade, expectations for the future have fallen almost twice as fast.
“While current life is eroding, it’s that optimism for the future that has eroded almost twice as much over the last 10 years,” said Dan Witters, research director of the Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index.
Fewer Americans ‘Thriving’
Gallup defines people as “thriving” if they rate their current life at 7 or higher and their future at 8 or higher. By that measure, only 48% of Americans now qualify — meaning more than half of the country no longer feels confident about both the present and the years ahead.
Historically, optimism about the future tends to rise and fall alongside satisfaction with current life. But the latest data shows a widening gap, suggesting deeper uncertainty about long-term prospects even when day-to-day life feels manageable.
Political Shifts Don’t Balance Out
Optimism often shifts when control of the White House changes. Typically, supporters of the party in power grow more hopeful, while those out of power become more pessimistic — changes that usually offset each other.
That pattern broke down in 2025.
As Donald Trump returned to office, Democrats’ optimism dropped sharply, falling from 65% to 57%. Republicans became more hopeful, but not enough to counterbalance the Democratic decline.
“The regime change in the White House almost certainly was a big driving factor,” Witters said. “But the drop among Democrats was unusually steep.”
Even so, Republicans remain significantly less optimistic than they were at the end of Trump’s first term. A January AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found that while Republicans broadly support Trump, many feel his economic performance has fallen short of expectations.
Hispanic Americans See Sharper Decline
Hispanic adults experienced one of the largest drops in optimism. Their future outlook fell from 69% to 63%, a steeper decline than among white or Black Americans.
Witters said the shift could be driven by rising living costs, health care worries, and heightened concern over immigration enforcement. Polling from the Pew Research Center last fall found that about 6 in 10 Latinos had seen or heard about Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in their communities within six months.
“That’s something people can see with their own eyes,” Witters said. “And if you’re Hispanic, it may feel especially close to home.”
Additional surveys show Hispanic Americans reporting higher levels of economic stress than other groups, alongside declining views of the administration’s performance.
A Broader Mood Shift
The findings suggest the nation’s unease goes beyond partisan politics. While elections and leadership changes influence attitudes, Americans appear increasingly uncertain that life will improve in the years ahead — a shift with implications for consumer confidence, civic trust, and social stability.
The Gallup data is based on more than 22,000 interviews conducted throughout 2025 as part of the Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index.
As Witters noted, the concern isn’t just dissatisfaction today — it’s the fading belief that tomorrow will be better.
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