24.5%
2026 (thru Aug) (latest)
SATISFIED WITH HOW THINGS ARE GOING IN THE U.S.
percent satisfied, annual average of Gallup readings · 1979–2026 · higher is better · Gallup, Satisfaction With the United States
19%
1979
60%
high · 1986
15.1%
low · 2008
+5.5 pts
since 1979
┊ dashed lines mark 1987 Black Monday crash · 1991 Gulf War recession · 2001 Dot-com bust & 9/11 · 2008 Global financial crisis · 2020 COVID-19 pandemic
Method & caveats. "In general, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way things are going in the United States at this time?" Annual value is the plain average of every Gallup reading that year (monthly since 2001; one to four readings a year in the 1980s and 1990s, none in 1980). Gallup publishes the readings, not the annual average — the averaging is the only arithmetic here.
Sources
Every value on this page is read from the publisher below. Current and historical source documents:
- https://news.gallup.com/poll/1669/general-mood-country.aspx
- https://github.com/danielmiessler/substrate/tree/main/Data/US-Societal-Health
Data
| Year | Satisfied With How Things Are Going in the U.S. | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 24.5% | −5.6 pts |
| 2025 | 30.1% | +8.4 pts |
| 2024 | 21.7% | +2.3 pts |
| 2023 | 19.4% | +0.9 pts |
| 2022 | 18.5% | −8.2 pts |
| 2021 | 26.7% | +1.0 pts |
| 2020 | 25.7% | −6.6 pts |
| 2019 | 32.3% | −1.7 pts |
| 2018 | 34% | +6.7 pts |
| 2017 | 27.3% | +0.2 pts |
| 2016 | 27.1% | −0.7 pts |
| 2015 | 27.8% | +4.6 pts |
| 2014 | 23.2% | −0.6 pts |
| 2013 | 23.8% | −1.7 pts |
| 2012 | 25.5% | +8.4 pts |
| 2011 | 17.1% | −4.5 pts |
| 2010 | 21.6% | −4.4 pts |
| 2009 | 26% | +11 pts |
| 2008 | 15.1% | −12 pts |
| 2007 | 27.5% | −3.7 pts |
| 2006 | 31.2% | −7.2 pts |
| 2005 | 38.4% | −4.1 pts |
| 2004 | 42.5% | −3.5 pts |
| 2003 | 46% | −6.3 pts |
| 2002 | 52.3% | −2.5 pts |
| 2001 | 54.8% | −5.0 pts |
| 2000 | 59.8% | +1.0 pts |
| 1999 | 58.8% | −0.8 pts |
| 1998 | 59.6% | +11 pts |
| 1997 | 49% | +10 pts |
| 1996 | 38.9% | +7.2 pts |
| 1995 | 31.7% | −1.0 pts |
| 1994 | 32.7% | +4.9 pts |
| 1993 | 27.8% | +7.2 pts |
| 1992 | 20.6% | −27 pts |
| 1991 | 47.1% | +7.5 pts |
| 1990 | 39.6% | −4.9 pts |
| 1989 | 44.5% | −4.0 pts |
| 1988 | 48.5% | +3.5 pts |
| 1987 | 45% | −15 pts |
| 1986 | 60% | +9.0 pts |
| 1985 | 51% | +2.2 pts |
| 1984 | 48.8% | +14 pts |
| 1983 | 35% | +11 pts |
| 1982 | 24.3% | −1.4 pts |
| 1981 | 25.7% | +6.7 pts |
| 1979 | 19% | — |
Also in Happiness & Outlook