Most Americans continue to hold negative views of the U.S. economy, as has been the case for the last six years.
About three-in-ten U.S. adults (28%) rate economic conditions in the country as excellent or good, while roughly seven-in-ten (72%) rate them as only fair or poor.
Views of the economy are largely unchanged from last September (26% rated the economy positively) but are up somewhat from last April, when 23% rated the economy positively. They remain significantly lower than prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A new Pew Research Center survey of 8,512 U.S. adults conducted Jan. 20-26 finds that nearly all of the change in views of the economy since last spring has come among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents:
- 49% of Republicans rate the economy positively today, the highest mark of President Donald Trump’s second term.
- Views among Republicans are up 5 percentage points since September and 13 points since April.
- Just 10% of Democrats and Democratic leaners rate the economy positively, virtually unchanged since April.
Costs, consumer prices top economic concerns for Americans
The costs of health care and housing, as well as the price of food and consumer goods, are at the top of Americans’ economic concerns.
About seven-in-ten adults (71%) say they are very concerned about the cost of health care, while 66% say the same about the price of food and consumer goods. Nearly as many (62%) say they are very concerned about the cost of housing.
About half of all adults (51%) say they are very concerned about the price of electricity, while roughly a third (34%) say this about the price of gasoline.
Fewer than half of adults are very concerned about the availability of jobs (45%), and only 20% express concern about the state of the stock market.
How do Americans view the future of the economy?
About four-in-ten Americans (38%) say they expect the economic conditions to be worse a year from now. Fewer (31%) say they expect the economy will be better in a year, while 30% say it will be about the same as today.
The share expecting economic conditions to be worse in a year has decreased since September, when 46% said this.
Republicans continue to be more optimistic than Democrats about the future of the economy.
Among Republicans
A majority of Republicans (57%) expect the economy will be better a year from now. Only 14% expect it will be worse.
Among Democrats
Just 8% of Democrats now say they expect the economy will be better a year from now, while 62% expect it will be worse. The share of Democrats who expect the economy to worsen is down 11 points since September.
Americans’ views of Trump’s economic policies
About half of Americans (52%) say that since taking office, Trump’s economic policies have made economic conditions in the country worse. Another 28% say his policies have made the economy better, while 19% say they have not had much of an effect.
Today, a 57% majority of Republicans say Trump’s policies have made economic conditions better. This is up 10 percentage points since September.
Democrats overwhelmingly (85%) say that Trump’s policies have made economic conditions worse. These views are virtually unchanged since September.
Related: Read findings on Americans’ views of the Trump administration’s tariff policies.
Partisans’ economic concerns
On almost every economic issue asked about in the survey, Democrats express more concern than Republicans.
For example, more than eight-in-ten Democrats (82%) say they are very concerned about the cost of health care, compared with 61% of Republicans.
Similarly, 75% of Democrats say this about the price of food and consumer goods, while 55% of Republicans do.
Democrats are also more likely than Republicans to express concern about the cost of housing (71% vs. 54%), the price of electricity (56% vs. 45%), or people who want to work being unable to find jobs (59% vs. 32%).
Relatively few in either party express concern about the price of gasoline or the state of the stock market:
- 36% of Democrats say they are very concerned about the price of gasoline, as do 30% of Republicans.
- About two-in ten in both parties express concern about the stock market (22% of Democrats and 20% of Republicans).
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