Americans end 2024 feeling pessimistic about the U.S.
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Just 19% of Americans believe the country is heading in the right direction as 2024 comes to a close, per Gallup's latest monthly survey.
Why it matters: Gallup's monthly data reveals a deep-seated pessimism among Americans about their country. You'd have to go back two decades to find a time when half of Americans felt the U.S. was on the right track.
- The last time even 30% of Americans felt the U.S. was heading in the right direction was summer 2021.
By the numbers: December's finding was down from 26% in October, largely because satisfaction among Democrats has fallen from 47% to 30% since the election.
- Only 9% of Republicans think the country is on the right track. That number jumped from 5% in October to 16% in November before sliding back down.
- 19% is the lowest result since July. The 2024 peak was 26% in October.
- President Biden's approval rose to 39% from 37% in November.
Flashback: Gallup's highest-ever finding (71%) came in Feb. 1999, while the lowest (7%) came in Oct. 2008, during the financial crisis.
Between the lines: The pessimism about the direction of the country comes despite a fairly positive economic trajectory.
- The percentage of Americans who view the economy as the main problem with the U.S. has fallen steadily in recent months, per Gallup.
- Democrats tend to cite President-elect Trump as a top concern, Republicans are more worried about immigration, and respondents from both parties still have concerns about inflation.
Zoom out: Americans are sending mixed messages across the economic spectrum.
- Consumer confidence surged in November as Republicans cheered Trump's victory, but then pulled back in December.
- Retail sales over the holiday look better than the National Retail Federation forecast, but not great for brick-and-mortar stores.
