WASHINGTON, D.C. – According to a recent Gallup survey, only 52.1% of Americans consider themselves “thriving” in their life evaluations, a figure that is alarmingly close to historical lows recorded during the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic. This data, which reflects the national mood in 2023, is a significant indicator of the country’s overall well-being.
The survey, conducted between November 30 and December 7, 2023, involved 6,386 U.S. adults. Using the Cantril Self-Anchoring Striving Scale, Gallup categorizes individuals as “thriving,” “struggling,” or “suffering” based on their ratings of current and future life on a scale of zero to 10. A thriving status requires a current life rating of 7 or higher and a future life rating of at least 8.
Interestingly, the survey showed a slight variation in the thriving rate across political affiliations. While Democrats saw a substantial increase in their thriving rate from late 2020 to 2021, Republicans and Independents experienced declines in the same period. Particularly, Republicans saw a significant 9.0-percentage-point drop, and Independents’ thriving rate fell to below 49%, making it the lowest among the three groups.
Another aspect of the survey focused on Americans’ daily experiences of stress and worry. Despite the subdued thriving rate, the levels of stress and worry reported in the fourth quarter of 2023 were consistent with typical figures. About 40% of respondents reported feeling worried, and 45% experienced stress “a lot of the day yesterday.” These rates align closely with three-year averages from 2021 to 2023, indicating a return to pre-pandemic levels in these specific emotional experiences.
This survey’s findings are significant as they highlight the ongoing challenges faced by many Americans, despite improvements in other areas since the pandemic. The data underscores the complexity of national well-being and the varied experiences of stress and satisfaction across different demographic and political groups.