(AURN News) — New data shows American optimism has hit a record low, with the steepest declines among Democrats, Hispanic adults and Black Americans. According to new findings from Gallup, just 69% of U.S. adults believe they will be living a high-quality life five years from now. That is the lowest level since Gallup began tracking the data nearly 20 years ago.
Since 2020, optimism about the future has fallen by more than nine points. That translates to roughly 24 million fewer Americans who believe their lives are getting better.
Black Americans have historically ranked as the most future-optimistic group. They have seen the sharpest erosion since 2021, largely driven by rising costs tied to food, housing and health care.
Over the past year, Hispanic adults saw the biggest single-year drop.
Politically, the divide is striking. Democrats’ optimism fell nearly eight points in 2025 alone, while Republicans remained mostly unchanged and independents dipped only slightly.
Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.
