70% of Americans See US in Decline, American Communities Project Says

Seven in ten Americans believe the United States is in decline, matching a high-water mark of pessimism last recorded in 2023, according to a survey released on October 29, 2026, by the American Communities Project at Michigan State University.

Costs and Financial Pain Rising Across Communities

Cost of living remains the single most prominent issue for respondents, outranking other concerns including immigration and education. Nearly half of all surveyed adults—47%—reported experiencing serious financial problems due to price increases in September 2026. That figure marks a substantial climb from previous tracking periods, up from 30% in 2025 and 27% in July 2023.

The economic strain hits younger generations and communities of color with particular severity. Among members of Gen Z aged 18 to 29, 61% reported dealing with serious financial hardship driven by inflation. Economic distress also reached high levels among racial minorities, with 65% of Hispanics and 63% of Black Americans stating they faced severe financial challenges from rising prices.

Healthcare Costs Climb as a Secondary Community Concern

Healthcare has surged as a dominant public anxiety, jumping 10 percentage points from 20% in 2025 to 30% in the 2026 data. This shift establishes healthcare as the second most pressing issue for communities nationwide, trailing only inflation.

Demographic breakdowns show specific vulnerable pockets facing even sharper pressures. Among households earning between $75,000 and $99,999 annually, 36% cited healthcare as a top local issue, a pattern mirrored closely by Black respondents. Researchers attribute these heightened concerns to overlapping challenges, including hospital closures, insurance coverage losses, and rising out-of-pocket medical expenses.

Shifting Optimism Among Trump Supporter Hubs

The national pessimism captured in the late 2026 data contrasts sharply with attitudes recorded the previous year. In 2025, the percentage of Americans who agreed that the United States was in decline dropped to 55%. That dip was largely fueled by a surge of optimism within communities that backed Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, such as evangelical hubs in the South and rural middle America.

With the decline metric climbing back to 70% in late 2026, researchers note that those same supportive communities have changed their outlook. Dante Chinni, director of the American Communities Project, and Ari Pinkus, manager of the American Communities Project, explain that the national numbers reveal an electorate that is unsettled, gloomy and likely looking for change.