Life Satisfaction
Explore Gallup's research.
Environmental crises caused by extreme weather or pollution are linked to greater negative emotions and depressive symptoms, as well as less overall life satisfaction among Americans.
Americans' personal satisfaction remains significantly higher than satisfaction with the way things are going in the U.S.
Americans are the least satisfied with their personal lives than they have been since 2011, but some subgroups are faring better than others.
In 2023, 52.1% of U.S. adults rated their lives well enough to be considered "thriving," three points below the norms set in 2015-2019 and 2021.
Trends measuring Americans' values need to be analyzed in the context of differences in question wording and changes in methodology.
Americans' views of national conditions remain sour, with 18% satisfied with the way things are going and the Economic Confidence Index holding at -43.
Whether reflecting the remnants of the pandemic or the difficulty of inflation, Americans remain sour about the state of the union.
Gallup's leadership approval and trust in institutions indicator tracks opinions on global and U.S. leadership and more.
An estimated 53.2% of U.S. adults rate their lives well enough to be categorized as "thriving," the lowest level measured since January 2021.
Black adults living in households with lower incomes report higher levels of wellbeing than do their White or Hispanic counterparts, but this fades in higher-income households.
Americans' satisfaction with a variety of aspects of U.S. life and public policy areas remains depressed from 2020, with many declining further since 2021.
Americans' satisfaction with the way things are going in the U.S. is at its lowest point in a year, 17%, but most, 85%, remain satisfied with their own lives.
An estimated 55.1% of U.S. adults rate their lives well enough to be classified as "thriving," down four points from the record high measured in June.
An estimated 59.2% of U.S. adults rate their lives well enough to be categorized as "thriving" exceeding the previous record-high estimate of 57.3% from 2017.
The overall life ratings of U.S. adults have risen to the highest point since October 2019, with 54.0% currently categorized as "thriving."
Eighty-two percent of Americans are satisfied with the way things are going in their personal life, a sharp drop from last year's record-high 90%.
Leaders can make a big difference in their workers' performance and lives when they connect employee engagement to holistic wellbeing.
The overall life ratings of Black Americans have eroded since 2016, but negative emotional experiences are unchanged in recent years.