Gallup's 2025 World Poll finds Americans unusually anxious about politics and the health of their democracy: about one-third name politics and government as the country's top problem. Younger Americans (35 and under) are more likely to prioritize economic worries such as housing affordability, while older Americans focus on politics. Low institutional trust strongly correlates with greater political concern. The survey covered people 15+ in 107 countries (March–October 2025; margin of error ±2.4–4.7%).
Gallup 2025: Americans Stand Out For Political Anxiety — Young Adults Worry About Affordability
FILE- Voting booths are set up at a polling place in Newtown, Pa, April 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
WASHINGTON — New international polling from Gallup finds that Americans are unusually worried about the state of their political system, a concern that sets the United States apart from most other high‑income and influential nations. About one-third of U.S. adults named politics and government as the single biggest problem facing the country — a share exceeded only by Taiwan and comparable to levels in Slovenia, Spain and South Korea.
Politics And Democracy Top Concern
Gallup's World Poll shows wealthier countries and democracies are more likely to list politics and government as a top issue, but the United States is particularly notable for combined worries about democratic stability and the ability to get ahead economically. Benedict Vigers of Gallup said the U.S. pattern is distinctive.
“It's really unique in that regard,” Vigers said of the U.S. results from the survey, which Gallup conducted from March through October 2025.
Younger Americans Prioritize Economic Worries
The poll also finds a sharp generational split: adults 35 and under are far more likely than older Americans to cite economic issues — especially affordability of housing and basic necessities — as the top national problem. Roughly one-third of respondents 35 and younger named economics and affordability as the main issue, compared with about 13% of those 55 and older.
This pattern is mirrored in other English‑speaking high‑income countries facing housing affordability crises, including Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Ireland. In Ireland, for example, 57% of respondents listed economics or affordability as a top issue; comparable levels were also reported in countries such as Nigeria, Zambia, Egypt and Albania.
Trust And Polarization Deepen Political Concerns
The United States shows among the widest divides between people who trust major institutions (national government, judiciary, election processes) and those who do not. Adults who distrust many institutions were far more likely to name politics and government as the top problem (41%) than those who express trust in institutions (21%). Dartmouth political scientist Brendan Nyhan warned that low social trust, combined with high polarization, can erode democratic norms.
“Having a stable society and rule of law without social trust is really difficult,” Nyhan said. “Low trust is corrosive. Under conditions of high polarization, it makes it exceptionally difficult to accept losing an election and accept the other party being in power.”
Context And Methodology
The Gallup World Poll interviewed people aged 15 and older in 107 countries between March and October 2025. The margin of sampling error across countries ranges from plus or minus 2.4 to 4.7 percentage points. The findings add to a broad array of international and domestic surveys documenting rising anxiety about both the economy and democratic governance in the United States.
Reporting: Riccardi reported from Denver; additional reporting from Gallup analysts.
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