A new Gallup World Poll reveals a dramatic shift in American job market sentiment, with young people's optimism plummeting while older adults remain relatively upbeat. The gap between the two age groups is now the largest among 141 countries surveyed.
Only 43% of Americans aged 15–34 believe it is a good time to find a job in their local area, compared with 64% of those aged 55 and over. Globally, the pattern is reversed: a median of 48% of younger people see good job prospects, versus 38% of older people.
This marks a stark reversal from historical trends, where younger Americans were typically more optimistic. Benedict Vigers of Gallup called it “an incredibly new phenomenon,” noting that last year was the first time young Americans were more pessimistic than their peers in other developed countries.
The decline has been sharp: the share of younger Americans saying it is a good time to find a job fell by 27 percentage points from 2023 to 2025, a drop comparable to that seen during the 2008 financial crisis. However, older Americans' views have barely changed over the same period.
The findings align with other polls showing younger adults are more pessimistic about the broader economy. An AP-NORC poll in April found that about 80% of adults under 35 describe the economy as poor, compared with about 60% of those 55 and older. Pollster John Della Volpe said young people often feel older generations do not understand their economic challenges, which further damages their mental health.
