Trending Now - Youth Job Market Optimism Dips While Seniors Remain Positive

WHO:

AP News - Gallup, a polling organization, conducted the survey.

AP News - Benedict Vigers, a representative from Gallup, commented on the findings.

AP News - John Della Volpe, a pollster from the Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics, provided insights on youth perspectives.

WHAT:

ABC News Business - A new Gallup poll indicates that younger Americans are more pessimistic about the job market than older Americans.

AP News - Only 43% of Americans aged 15-34 believe it’s “a good time” to find a job, compared to 64% of those aged 55 and over.

AP News - The share of younger Americans saying it was “a good time” to find a job dropped by 27 percentage points from 2023 to 2025.

AP News - Among 141 countries surveyed, younger Americans ranked 87th in job market expectations.

AP News - Approximately 8 in 10 adults under 35 describe the U.S. economy as very or somewhat poor.

WHERE:

AP News - The survey was conducted in the United States as part of the Gallup World Poll.

WHEN:

AP News - The Gallup World Poll results are based on telephone interviews conducted from June 14 to July 16, 2025.

AP News - The heightened pessimism among young Americans began to emerge at the end of 2024.

WHY:

AP News - The generational divide in job market optimism is likely to fuel political divides, with younger voters focusing on economic issues like housing costs.

AP News - Young Americans feel frustrated that older generations do not understand their current economic challenges.

HOW:

AP News - The Gallup analysis indicates that the U.S. is one of only five countries where younger people are at least 10 points more pessimistic about job availability than older individuals.

(UPDATED May 11, 2026 13:53 UTC)

A new Gallup poll reveals that younger Americans are significantly more pessimistic about the job market compared to their older counterparts, with only 43% of those aged 15 to 34 believing it’s a good time to find a job, in stark contrast to 64% of those aged 55 and over. The survey, conducted as part of the Gallup World Poll, shows that the share of young Americans expressing optimism about job availability dropped by 27 percentage points from 2023 to 2025, placing them 87th among 141 countries surveyed. This generational divide in job market expectations is likely to intensify political divides, as younger voters increasingly focus on economic issues such as housing costs, feeling frustrated that older generations may not fully grasp their current challenges.