Story Highlights
- 37% say real estate is best long-term investment; 23% say gold, 16% stocks
- Steady 62% of U.S. adults own stock; 59% have retirement savings plan
- Ownership higher among wealthier, married, more educated, older adults
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Amid volatility in the stock and bond markets in April, Americans' preference for stocks as the best long-term investment has declined. Gold has gained in appeal, while real estate remains the top choice for the 12th consecutive year.
The 37% of U.S. adults viewing real estate as the best investment is virtually unchanged from last year’s reading, while the 16% choosing stocks is down six percentage points, erasing its 2024 gain. At the same time, the public’s preference for gold is up five points, to 23%.
Thirteen percent of Americans think savings accounts or CDs are the best option for long-term returns, 5% favor bonds, and 4% prefer cryptocurrency — all in line with last year’s readings.
The latest findings are from Gallup’s April 1-14 poll, conducted mostly after the Trump administration announced sweeping tariffs on April 2. The announcement was followed by sharp declines in stock values and a sell-off of U.S. government bonds before Trump temporarily paused some of the tariffs on April 9. Market instability has persisted in recent weeks, with many economists warning of a potential recession.
After trailing gold in 2011 and 2012, real estate essentially tied with gold and stocks as the top long-term investment in 2013. Real estate has ranked as the top investment for Americans each year since 2014, with between 30% and 45% selecting it.
Although gold’s appeal as a long-term investment has increased this year, it remains below its record high of 34% in 2011 — when, in the years after the Great Recession, investors sought safe assets amid high unemployment, a depressed housing market and volatility in financial markets. Americans’ choice of stocks or mutual funds as the best investment has historically fallen during periods of market volatility.
Savings accounts or CDs, historically a stable but less popular choice, are largely unchanged from recent readings. Bonds and cryptocurrency (with the latter added to the investment choices offered in the list in 2022) continue to trail behind other traditional investment vehicles and have not registered above 10% and 8%, respectively.
Lower-Income Americans More Likely to Favor Safer Investments
Americans at all income levels choose real estate as the top long-term investment, with similar shares of lower-, middle- and higher-income Americans naming it. Beyond real estate, though, perceptions of the best investment vary notably. Adults earning $100,000 or more are the most likely income group to favor stocks, while those with lower incomes are more likely than others to choose safer or more tangible options like gold and savings accounts.
Similar patterns by income group have been evident in recent years.
Steady Three in Five U.S. Adults Own Stock
A steady 62% of U.S. adults say they, alone or with a spouse, have money invested in the stock market — either in an individual stock, a stock mutual fund, or a self-directed 401(k) or individual retirement account. This is the third consecutive year that stock ownership has been above 60%, which was typically the norm from 1998 until the Great Recession, when ownership fell and stayed below that threshold for more than a decade.
Gallup added a question this year asking Americans if they have money invested in a retirement savings plan such as a 401(k), 403(b) or IRA and found that a similar 59% say they do.
Stock and Retirement Investors Skew Wealthier, Married, More Educated, Older
As has typically been the case, Americans’ investments in the stock market and retirement savings plans are closely affiliated with several socioeconomic characteristics, including income, education, marital status and age. Higher-income, married, college-educated, older U.S. adults are more likely than their counterparts to have stock investments and retirement savings plans.
The April poll also asked Americans how worried they are about nine financial matters and found that concern about not getting a good return on their investments ranks toward the top of the list. The 53% of U.S. adults who are concerned about their investment returns includes 26% “very” and 27% “moderately” worried. Those who report having money invested in the stock market are more likely to say not getting a good return on their investments is a worry (62%) than those without stock holdings (38%).
Bottom Line
Americans appear to be following economic news — including tariffs and market swings — and adjusting their perceptions of investment risk accordingly. Real estate continues to be named the best long-term investment, while stocks have fallen amid recent market volatility and gold has picked up much of that decline. Meanwhile, stock ownership is holding steady, even as fewer say stocks are the best investment. However, history suggests that investors may change their investment strategy if the economy remains volatile.
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