While many Americans still hold negative views about the U.S. economy, a declining share are pessimistic about their own finances.
What you need to know about Americans' views of the U.S. economy, as of the December 12 - 15, 2025 Economist / YouGov Poll:
- 28% of Americans expect that a year from now, their household will be better off financially, while 22% expect to be worse off, and 36% expect to be about the same as now
- The share of Americans who expect to be worse off in a year has fallen from 29% in late October, while the share who expect to be better off financially has risen from 25%
- The last time fewer Americans than currently do expected to be worse off in a year was in January at the beginning of Trump's second term
- Despite a slight increase in personal optimism, 52% of Americans say the economy is getting worse, far more than the 20% who say it's getting better, and the 22% who say it's about the same
- The share of Americans saying the economy is getting worse has remained relatively stable in recent months
- Americans who expect their personal finances to improve are more likely to say the economy is getting better than worse, and those who expect their personal finances to get worse are more likely to say the economy is getting worse than better
- Among the relatively small group of Americans who see the economy getting better, most (66%) think they'll personally be better off in a year. Among the bigger group who see the economy getting worse, only 38% think they'll be worse off in a year
- A majority (57%) of those who say the U.S. economy is staying about the same say their own finances will be about the same in a year, but this group is three times as likely to say they'll be better off financially than worse off (25% vs. 8%)
Image: Getty (boonchai wedmakawand)
