Optimism will prevail

Was 2025 a bad year for the U.S.? Will 2026 be worse?

The answer to those two questions largely depends on who you ask. But there are a lot of reasons to say yes to both – an uncertain economy, the threat of political violence, and the threat of AI-induced job displacement, just to name a few.

Americans’ grievances over 2025 and angst about 2026 are real. But amid all the uncertainty, it’s important to remember that these are all external. Though Americans have mixed views on the state of the nation, most remain optimistic about their own lives.

Below are five charts on how Americans felt about 2025, America’s predictions for 2026, and Americans’ optimism about their own lives.

1. Was 2025 a bad year for the U.S.? Most say yes.
2. Economic uncertainty rules 2025. One factor behind this year’s muddy consumer sentiment is uncertainty, an uncomfortable feeling that just will not go away.
3. On the wrong track. Of course, political affiliation plays a large influence on attitudes towards the direction of national policies; Republicans are unsurprisingly more likely to feel these areas are headed in the right direction. But altogether, the data paint a picture of an American public disgruntled by the state of national affairs.
4. A muddy outlook of 2026. Heading into the new year, Americans are bracing for the worst.
5. But at home, things are looking up. Despite the external uncertainty, Americans are optimistic that 2026 will be better than 2025 for them personally. They also plan to spend more time with their family and spend more time focusing on themselves. It might be cold outside, but at home, it’s warm.

The fatigue Americans have with the economic and political systems they live in is real. They are feeling true economic pain, and the feelings of angst about the nation’s divided politics are just as real. By a 2-1 margin, Americans feel that the country is headed on the wrong track and not in the right direction.

But the vast majority of Americans live outside of Washington D.C. That is to say, Americans are not unconcerned with the dramatics of D.C. politicking, but most are able to separate what happens in the media with what is happening at home. People feel better about themselves and the ones they care about.

Those other factors are all external. In the end, optimism will always win.