Republicans have become more likely to view the U.S. economy positively in recent months, while Democrats and Independents have largely unchanged views.
What you need to know about Americans' views on the economy, as of the January 9 - 12, 2026 Economist / YouGov Poll:
- 50% of Americans say the U.S. economy is getting worse, 25% say it's getting better, and 20% say it's staying about the same
- The share who say the economy is getting worse is down from 57% in early October, while the share who say it's getting better is little changed from 18%
- Between 47% and 57% of Americans have said the economy is getting worse in every Economist / YouGov poll since mid-March
- The modest increase in economic sentiment in recent months is driven primarily by Republicans
- Since early October, the share of Republicans who say the economy is getting better has risen to 57% from 38%, while the share of Republicans who say it's getting worse has fallen to 14% from 27%
- In contrast, the share of Democrats who say the economy is getting better has changed little — to 3% now from 4% in October — while among Independents it has changed to 15% from 12%
Image: Getty (Joe Raedle / Staff)
What do you really think about President Trump, American politics in general, and everything else? Share your reality, join the YouGov panel, and get paid to share your thoughts. Sign up here.
