Just 15 percent of young Americans say country is heading in right direction

Just 15 percent of young Americans say they think the country is headed in the right direction, according to the latest Harvard Youth Poll. 

The poll released Wednesday found 51 percent of surveyed Americans under 30 say the U.S. is on the wrong track, and 31 percent are unsure, “underscoring a generation defined by political pessimism and uncertainty,” researchers at the Institute of Politics (IOP) at Harvard Kennedy School said. The remaining 3 percent of respondents declined to answer.

Just a quarter of young Americans said the country is better off under President Trump, while 41 percent said they think it was better under former President Biden. 

At the same time, trust in congressional Democrats has dropped to 23 percent from the 42 percent logged around this time in Trump’s first term. Trump's approval rating among young people, now at 31 percent, is roughly unchanged from the 32 percent recorded at this point in his first term.

Only 19 percent of young Americans trust the federal government to do the "right thing" most of the time, and fewer than 1 in 3 trust each of Congress, the president and the Supreme Court.

"From significant economic concerns to dramatic feelings of social isolation, and from growing mental health challenges to mounting distrust in the government and both parties, young Americans have apprehensions about what would have seemed unimaginable just a few short years ago," said IOP Director Setti Warren.

"These findings are a stark reality check and leaders across the country would be wise to pay close attention."

Young voters have long favored Democrats and boosted Biden to victory in 2020. Former Vice President Kamala Harris won young voters in the 2024 election but by a smaller margin than her predecessor as voters — particularly young men — shifted to the right. 

Progressive young voter groups in recent weeks have blasted Democratic leadership on Capitol Hill, arguing top party figures are failing to meet the moment and take a firm enough stance against the second Trump administration.

But the polling also found that, out of nine proposals tested, none of Trump's agenda items pulled in more than 35 percent support.

Creating the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) had the highest support, at 35 percent. Two in 10 young Americans or less approved of Trump's moves to abolish the Department of Education, implement tariffs on foreign goods and pardon people convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.

More than 4 in 10 young Americans in the poll said they’re “barely getting by” financially, with women and non-college educated young people hit the hardest.

Among those who said they’re struggling to make ends meet or getting by with limited financial security, 51 percent said they think Trump’s policies will hurt their finances in the years ahead.

The polling also found that less than half, or 48 percent, of young Americans said having kids is important — the lowest score among six tested life goals, including getting married and home ownership. This finding comes amid reports that the Trump administration is floating proposals aimed at upping the country's birth rates.

The spring 2025 Harvard Youth Poll surveyed 2,096 young Americans between 18 and 29 years old and was conducted March 14-25. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.21 percentage points.