Young Americans say the country is heading down a dark road and fear their futures are unstable, according to the latest Harvard Youth Poll out Thursday morning.
Why it matters: Financial insecurity, intense political polarization and the rise of AI are eroding Gen Z's faith in their economic prospects and public institutions overall.
- The authors of the report, now in its 25th year, warn that this massive upheaval is threatening the country's stability.
- "Instability is shaping nearly every part of young people's lives," said John Della Volpe, director of polling at the Harvard Institute of Politics, in a Zoom with reporters and students involved in the survey.
By the numbers: A majority of respondents (57%) say the country is headed in the wrong direction — a six-point rise from last year, and one point down from the record high notched in the spring of 2024.
- Young adults are far more worried about the country's future now than they were during the depths of the Great Recession in 2009, when the economy was truly cooked.
- At that time, only 37% of respondents said the U.S. was on the wrong track — 20 points less than this year.
- The survey of 2,040 18-29-year-olds took place in early November.
The big picture: Economic insecurity is playing a big role here.
- Even though the overall economy is holding up, young adults are being hit hard by some of its biggest weaknesses — particularly, a stagnant job market, changes brought by AI and sky-high housing prices.
- 43% of those surveyed say they are struggling financially or getting by with limited financial security. Those numbers are higher for Black and Hispanic respondents, and those without a college degree.
- Inflation was the most urgent economic issue for young adults of both political parties — nearly half who identify as Republicans said it was their top issue, and 36% of Democrats.
Zoom in: AI is also now creating economic anxiety for this generation.
- 59% see AI as a threat to their job prospects — more than immigration (31%) or outsourcing jobs to other countries (48%). Majorities of both parties are threatened.
Zoom out: Economic worry is the new unifier among young adults, says Kritika Nagappa, a Harvard senior who worked on the AI and economy pieces of the survey.
- "You really can't lie to young people about the economy, especially when they're just trying to get by."
Friction point: Young adults are fed up with politics, too. And while 46% said they'd rather have Democrats control Congress, Gen Z holds "deeply negative views of both parties," according to the report.
- President Trump's approval rating among this group is 29% overall — down two points from the spring.
Between the lines: The rising cost of living has become a political liability for Trump — just as it did for his predecessor.
Reality check: Uncertainty about one's future is a core part of being a young adult — it's perhaps unsurprising that a feeling of instability would be surging at a time of rapid change in technology and politics.
What to watch: For the first time, the Harvard poll asked young adults whether political violence is ever acceptable.
- 39% said it is under at least one circumstance. It's unclear if this is unusually high — it's something that will need to be tracked over time.
