A dramatic shift in American job market sentiment has emerged, with younger workers now significantly more pessimistic than their older counterparts, according to a new Gallup World Poll released Monday. For years, younger Americans were the most optimistic age group regarding employment prospects, even during the Great Recession. However, the latest data reveals a stark reversal: only 43% of those aged 15-34 believe it is a good time to find a job in their local area, compared to 64% of those aged 55 and over.
Global Context Reversed
This generational gap in the United States is now the largest among 141 countries surveyed. Globally, the median share of younger people who see good job opportunities is 48%, versus 38% for older individuals. The US stands out as one of only five countries—alongside China, Hong Kong, Norway, Serbia, and the United Arab Emirates—where younger people are at least 10 percentage points more pessimistic than older ones.
“It’s an incredibly new phenomenon,” said Benedict Vigers of Gallup. He noted that last year marked the first time in decades that young Americans were more pessimistic about the job market than their peers in other developed nations. “Has this happened in most other advanced economies? The answer is a resounding no.”
Sudden Decline
The divergence has occurred abruptly. After a post-COVID rebound in 2021 and 2022, confidence in the job market dropped across all age groups after 2023. But the decline among those 34 and younger was the steepest—a 27-percentage-point plunge from 2023 to 2025, comparable to the drop during the 2008 global financial crisis. However, unlike during the Great Recession, older Americans’ confidence has barely budged.
Recent AP-NORC polling confirms a broader economic pessimism among the young: about 8 in 10 adults under 35 describe the US economy as very or somewhat poor, compared to about 6 in 10 among those 55 and older.
Roots of Frustration
John Della Volpe, a pollster specializing in youth surveys for the Harvard Kennedy School's Institute of Politics, highlighted that young people often feel misunderstood by older generations regarding current economic challenges. “It's just another thing that drains their mental health—'my parents don't understand that their pathway at this stage in life was so much easier,'” he said.
Younger Americans’ job market views now approach levels seen during the depths of the Great Recession in 2010. The poll also found heightened anxiety about pocketbook issues compared to global peers. Pessimism emerged at the end of 2024 and continued into 2025, coinciding with the start of President Donald Trump’s second term and the rise of artificial intelligence, which many fear will disrupt entry-level jobs.
Demographic Details
The most frustrated subgroups include those who have not yet secured their first job, college graduates, and young women. However, pessimism is widespread across all young demographics, including men and those without college education. “Whoever they are, they are more pessimistic than they were three years ago,” Vigers said.
Older Americans who remain upbeat are more likely to be retired and not actively job-seeking. They are also more likely to own homes—a key asset that has become increasingly out of reach for younger generations.
Political Implications
Economic concerns were central to the 2024 election, particularly for younger voters. Trump improved his performance among this group by campaigning on prosperity and affordability. Yet recent AP-NORC polling indicates that about 8 in 10 adults under 35 disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy and cost of living, compared to about 6 in 10 older adults.
The Gallup World Poll results are based on telephone interviews with approximately 1,000 US adults conducted from June 14 to July 16, 2025, with a margin of error of ±4.4 percentage points.
