A new American Communities Project/Ipsos survey has found that optimism about the nation's future has fallen sharply in heavily Latino communities, even as rural areas report rising confidence about what lies ahead for the U.S.
The shift among Latino respondents stands out as one of the most significant mood changes measured this year, as only 58% of residents in heavily Latino areas say they are hopeful about the future of their communities, down from 78% one year earlier.
Respondents of the survey expressed concern over the Trump administration's approach to immigration enforcement and the effect it is having on their neighborhoods. "It's not just hopelessness, but fear," said Carmen Maldonado of Kissimmee, Florida, who described her majority-Latino community as "seriously troubled." She added that many residents, "even my fellow native Puerto Ricans," feel anxious about the administration's "aggressive pursuit of Latino immigrants."
The decline in optimism extends to expectations for the next generation. Fifty-five percent of Latino respondents say they are hopeful about the future of their children, compared with 69% in July 2024. Maldonado said she worries that current policies have "stoked anti-Latino attitudes" that may persist for years.
The broader survey, which groups U.S. counties into 15 community types, finds widespread concern about rising household costs. "Concerns about inflation are across the board," said Dante Chinni, founder and director of the project. "One thing that truly unites the country is economic angst."
The poll reports that rural communities are moving in the opposite direction. About six in ten residents of Rural Middle America say they are hopeful about the country's future, up from 43% in last year's survey, with many citing confidence that prices will stabilize.
In contrast, optimism in major cities has declined from 55% to 45%. Residents cite worries about long-term economic pressures, polarization and democratic stability. Crime and gun violence, however, have become less central concerns for metropolitan respondents, who are now more likely to point to immigration and health care as key issues.
The findings echo results from several national surveys of Latino voters published earlier this month. In one, conducted by Axios Ipsos along with Noticias Telemundo, less than a third of Latinos (31%) said the believe it's a good time to be a Latino in the U.S. at the moment, a big drop compared to March 2024, when 55% said it was a good time.
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