Americans hit a 2025 low at the end of the year for their likelihood of expecting their household finances to be better in a year. That coincides with a high in the share who expect things to be about as they are now.
What you need to know about Americans' expectations for their household finances at the end of 2026, as of the December 26-29, 2025 Economist / YouGov Poll:
- 23% of Americans say they think that a year from now, they and their household will be better off financially, the smallest share since August 2024
- About the same share (25%) expect to be worse off, a lower level than for most of 2025
- The big change is in the share who expect their finances to be just about the same as now: 41%, the highest level since the Economist / YouGov Poll began regularly asking the question in July 2024
- The share of Americans expecting little change in their finances in the next year also was at a high level at the end of 2024 (33%)
- The shares of Independents and Republicans who expect financial improvement for themselves and their households in a year have fallen since the start of Donald Trump's second term
- Among Independents, 16% expect to be better off in a year, compared to 31% when Trump took office in January 2025
- 40% of Republicans expect better finances in a year, down from 67%
- The fall has not been as steep among Democrats: to 14% from 18%
Image: Getty
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