Young Americans are “a generation under profound strain” with little confidence in institutions and widespread economic concerns, according to a Harvard Institute of Politics survey of adults younger than 30 released Thursday.
Young adults say, 57% to 13%, that things in the country are generally on the wrong track, rather than headed in the right direction. Just 32% describe the US as a healthy democracy or one that’s “somewhat functioning,” while 64% call it system in trouble or one that has completely failed.
The survey, which included 2,040 adults under the age of 30 and was conducted between November 3 and 7, 2025, sheds a light on the views of young Americans on the country’s economic and political situation.
“Young Americans are sending a clear message: the systems and institutions meant to support them no longer feel stable, fair, or responsive to this generation,” John Della Volpe, the director of polling at Harvard’s Institute of Politics, said in a statement. “Their trust in democracy, the economy, and even each other is fraying — not because they are disengaged, but because they feel unheard and unprotected in a moment of profound uncertainty.”
Seventy-two percent of respondents — including 88% of Democrats, 73% of Republicans and 66% of independents — say it’s at least somewhat important to them that America is a democracy. That’s a downtick from 78% overall in 2021, coming almost entirely from Republicans.
The poll finds that President Donald Trump’s approval rating currently stands at just 29% among adults under 30, with congressional Democrats and Republicans at a similarly low 27% and 26%, respectively.
HPHambino on
No shit, Sherlock.
twirlingmypubes on
Over 30, as well.
DartTheDragoon on
>Just 32% describe the US as a healthy democracy or one that’s “somewhat functioning,” while 64% call it system in trouble or one that has completely failed.
That 64% would be correct.
ScoutsterReturns on
From what I recall roughly half of elible voters under 30 didn’t vote in 2024. This country is so fucking stupid because if people actually voted en masse things would be incredibly different.
CockBrother on
>“Young Americans are sending a clear message: the systems and institutions meant to support them no longer feel stable, fair, or responsive to this generation,”
Feel.
Sure, it’s just a matter of perception.
The illusion that things are working broke long ago and only the densest of Americans believe otherwise today.
According_Gift_7095 on
Oh I dunno, maybe making govt, healthcare, education, employment and housing predatory has something to do with it?
We are not dumb, it’s obvious our institutions only care about the top 1% going back to Reagan.
SomeRando8386 on
42 and same.
Capaz411 on
Yeah I think this should be expanded to anyone under 50
manwhowasnthere on
I have thought about this before – at what point do the young just give up on the system?
Work hard, pay for college, study hard, pay your taxes, and you’re still screwed when the next once-in-a-lifetime crisis hits and wipes you out. Millennials are struggling, and Gen Z and A are screwed – the American Dream of the white picket fence house, 2.5 kids and a dog seems impossible to attain.
I hope it brings punk music back at least
robotdesignwerks on
Gee, can’t imagine why.
Lysol3435 on
One party guts and politicizes institutions, then suddenly those institutions aren’t trustworthy. Next step, they’ll become privatized
Lucky-Donut-3159 on
56 here…. Im on thst train too
timpdx on
57 here, same boat as y’all
Yamza_ on
Voting for garbage makes everything garbage. Who knew!?
locofspades on
Yo, some of us Americans over 30 feel the same. Just an FYI
Kahzgul on
Well yeah. The system is broken. We need to keep electing people who are willing to admit that and try to fix it (progressive dems) rather than people who deny it (corporate / establishment dems and corporate / establishment repubs) or people who abuse that to enrich themselves (Trump / MAGA repubs).
VOTE.
CanaDoug420 on
You can drop the under 30 qualifier. It’s not just them
Miserable-Surprise67 on
Our institutions have EARNED that mistrust!
Mysterious-Low7491 on
Especially the media
Wonderful-Duck4605 on
Ya. As they should.
Shadow293 on
I’m 34 and feel the same way.
Ckck96 on
This is the direct result of profits before people.
mtnclimbingotter02 on
Because the system is manipulating everything to benefit just the rich and wire while the rest of us are turned on each other for the scrapes they offer us.
And this shit show impersonation of an administration is just speed running us towards a craptopia.
jdefr on
So do the ones over 30 if you aren’t a complete moron.
Gulf-Zack on
Ask the ones under 60…not far off
threehundredthousand on
The ultra wealthy have been concerned about the peasants getting wise to the game for decades. That’s why they’ve spent a massive pile of money on installing Trump into power and keeping him there.
FlashyPaladin on
New poll finds Americans over 30 are also under profound strain and deeply mistrust institutions.
AdministrativeEase71 on
Worth pointing out the drop of 5%, basically entirely among republicans, in belief that America being a democracy is important.
If that’s not proof of Trump’s poisoning of our government then I don’t know what is.
AdUpstairs7106 on
Not just Americans under 30. A lot of people my age enlisted in the military after 9/11 and were sent to fight in Iraq based on a lie.
30 Comments
Young Americans are “a generation under profound strain” with little confidence in institutions and widespread economic concerns, according to a Harvard Institute of Politics survey of adults younger than 30 released Thursday.
Young adults say, 57% to 13%, that things in the country are generally on the wrong track, rather than headed in the right direction. Just 32% describe the US as a healthy democracy or one that’s “somewhat functioning,” while 64% call it system in trouble or one that has completely failed.
The survey, which included 2,040 adults under the age of 30 and was conducted between November 3 and 7, 2025, sheds a light on the views of young Americans on the country’s economic and political situation.
“Young Americans are sending a clear message: the systems and institutions meant to support them no longer feel stable, fair, or responsive to this generation,” John Della Volpe, the director of polling at Harvard’s Institute of Politics, said in a statement. “Their trust in democracy, the economy, and even each other is fraying — not because they are disengaged, but because they feel unheard and unprotected in a moment of profound uncertainty.”
Seventy-two percent of respondents — including 88% of Democrats, 73% of Republicans and 66% of independents — say it’s at least somewhat important to them that America is a democracy. That’s a downtick from 78% overall in 2021, coming almost entirely from Republicans.
The poll finds that President Donald Trump’s approval rating currently stands at just 29% among adults under 30, with congressional Democrats and Republicans at a similarly low 27% and 26%, respectively.
No shit, Sherlock.
Over 30, as well.
>Just 32% describe the US as a healthy democracy or one that’s “somewhat functioning,” while 64% call it system in trouble or one that has completely failed.
That 64% would be correct.
From what I recall roughly half of elible voters under 30 didn’t vote in 2024. This country is so fucking stupid because if people actually voted en masse things would be incredibly different.
>“Young Americans are sending a clear message: the systems and institutions meant to support them no longer feel stable, fair, or responsive to this generation,”
Feel.
Sure, it’s just a matter of perception.
The illusion that things are working broke long ago and only the densest of Americans believe otherwise today.
Oh I dunno, maybe making govt, healthcare, education, employment and housing predatory has something to do with it?
We are not dumb, it’s obvious our institutions only care about the top 1% going back to Reagan.
42 and same.
Yeah I think this should be expanded to anyone under 50
I have thought about this before – at what point do the young just give up on the system?
Work hard, pay for college, study hard, pay your taxes, and you’re still screwed when the next once-in-a-lifetime crisis hits and wipes you out. Millennials are struggling, and Gen Z and A are screwed – the American Dream of the white picket fence house, 2.5 kids and a dog seems impossible to attain.
I hope it brings punk music back at least
Gee, can’t imagine why.
One party guts and politicizes institutions, then suddenly those institutions aren’t trustworthy. Next step, they’ll become privatized
56 here…. Im on thst train too
57 here, same boat as y’all
Voting for garbage makes everything garbage. Who knew!?
Yo, some of us Americans over 30 feel the same. Just an FYI
Well yeah. The system is broken. We need to keep electing people who are willing to admit that and try to fix it (progressive dems) rather than people who deny it (corporate / establishment dems and corporate / establishment repubs) or people who abuse that to enrich themselves (Trump / MAGA repubs).
VOTE.
You can drop the under 30 qualifier. It’s not just them
Our institutions have EARNED that mistrust!
Especially the media
Ya. As they should.
I’m 34 and feel the same way.
This is the direct result of profits before people.
Because the system is manipulating everything to benefit just the rich and wire while the rest of us are turned on each other for the scrapes they offer us.
And this shit show impersonation of an administration is just speed running us towards a craptopia.
So do the ones over 30 if you aren’t a complete moron.
Ask the ones under 60…not far off
The ultra wealthy have been concerned about the peasants getting wise to the game for decades. That’s why they’ve spent a massive pile of money on installing Trump into power and keeping him there.
New poll finds Americans over 30 are also under profound strain and deeply mistrust institutions.
Worth pointing out the drop of 5%, basically entirely among republicans, in belief that America being a democracy is important.
If that’s not proof of Trump’s poisoning of our government then I don’t know what is.
Not just Americans under 30. A lot of people my age enlisted in the military after 9/11 and were sent to fight in Iraq based on a lie.