Majority of Americans feel worse off than 4 years ago, Gallup poll finds

By Daniel Miller
Published  October 18, 2024 11:22am EDT
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FILE-People work in an office space. (Photo by Tom Lee/Construction Photography/Avalon/Getty Images)

The Brief

    • Approximately 52% of Americans say they are worse off today than they were four years ago, according to a recent Gallup poll.
    • Among political parties, Democrats compared to Republicans and Independents view themselves as "better off."
    • The poll also found that the two most critical issues facing the country are the economy and inflation. 

null - A recent poll about individuals' personal situations finds that a majority believe their circumstances are worse now than they were in past years.  

Gallup’s poll, conducted between Sept. 16-28, shows 52% of Americans say they and their family are worse off today than they were four years ago, while 39% say they are better off compared to 8% who say they are about the same. 

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This sentiment was slightly different among political parties polled, with Gallup noting that Democrats (72%) are more likely than independents (35%) or Republicans (7%) to view themselves as "better off." 

The analytics and advisory company also polled respondents on the current state of the economy for a separate Oct. 1-12 poll. Gallup noted that Americans’ views of whether they are better off have been connected to how they feel about the U.S. economy, which is detailed in Gallup’s monthly Economic Confidence Index (ECI).

Gallup explains that the index outlines Americans’ assessments of current economic conditions (as excellent, good, only fair, or poor) and their perspective on the economy (whether they believe it is getting better or worse). 

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According to Gallup’s ECI, 46% of Americans describe current economic conditions as "poor" and 29% as "only fair," compared to 25% who say current conditions are "excellent" or "good."  Meanwhile, 62% say the economy is "getting worse" compared with 32% saying it is "getting better."

When it comes to specific issues that are affecting the country the most, the economy (21%) and inflation (14%) were ranked at the top for respondents, followed by immigration (21%) and the government (17%). 

Gallup also polled Americans on their attitudes toward the job market. Approximately 44% of adults say it is a good time to find a quality job, while 50% say it is a bad time.

The Source 

  • Information for this story was provided by a Gallup poll conducted in September and October. One poll focused on whether Americans feel better off and the other centered on the state of the economy and how it ties into them feeling better off. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.