A majority of Americans are heading into 2026 feeling squeezed — even as some economic indicators look healthier on paper. The picture that emerges from recent polling is not just about numbers: it’s about confidence, fairness and who people believe is responsible for their pain.
The mood: worry outpaces optimism
An exclusive Harris poll for The Guardian in mid-December found that 45% of adults say their personal financial security is getting worse, compared with just 20% who say it’s improving. At the same time, 57% told pollsters they believe the U.S. economy is in a recession — despite official growth data showing the economy avoided two consecutive quarters of negative growth.
That feeling of being worse off shows up in other surveys too. Allianz Life’s year-end survey reports 48% of Americans feel more stressed going into 2026 than they did a year ago, and 42% singled out finances as a primary source of that stress. Meanwhile, WalletHub’s consumer poll finds a surprising current of cautious optimism — nearly 60% expect their personal finances to be better in 2026 — but more than half still say inflation is their top worry.
Put together: many Americans hope for better times next year, but most aren’t convinced the system is working for them now.
Who’s to blame — and what people would say to Washington
Political fault lines shape this anxiety. The Guardian/Harris data show Democrats and independents are more likely than Republicans to blame government management for rising prices; independents in particular have grown gloomier since earlier in the year. That sentiment matters: independents are often the swing voters who decide control of Congress and, in midterms, can tilt outcomes.
The CNN/SSRS poll asked people what they’d tell President Donald Trump if they could. The top answer — by far — was about the economy and cost-of-living pressures. Voters didn’t only want policy fixes; many wanted to be heard. “You’re throwing all this money on things that don’t matter when you could be building shelters,” a survey respondent told CNN. Others were blunt: some urged the president to resign, while others asked both parties simply to listen more.
Why that matters: political messaging that emphasizes stock-market gains or headline GDP growth won’t erase the day-to-day realities of people juggling grocery bills, medical costs and job uncertainty.
A split economy: winners, losers and the ‘K-shaped’ recovery
Economists have flagged a K-shaped recovery for months — a divergence where asset holders and higher earners see gains while lower- and middle-income households fall behind. The Harris poll tracks that pattern: 59% of people earning less than $50,000 said their security is worsening, compared with 37% among those earning $100,000-plus.
That gap filters into behavior. Allianz reports more than half of respondents plan to look for new jobs in 2026, up from 47% last year; among those who won’t hunt, 71% say they’re too risk-averse to leave a stable position in the current environment. In plain English: many people feel stuck — wanting more pay or stability, but afraid of the uncertainty that job-hopping brings.
Why sentiment diverges from headline growth
A few reasons help explain the disconnect between official economic statistics and public feeling:
- Inflation remains a daily friction point — even modest price drops on indexes don’t instantly ease grocery, housing or health-care bills.
- Layoffs, corporate restructurings and industry-specific shocks create concentrated anxiety that spreads through communities.
- Gains in financial markets (stocks, crypto, real estate booms) benefit asset owners more than wage earners, widening the sense that ‘the economy’ is for other people.
Technology and markets also shape perceptions. New financial tools and data products aim to make market information more accessible — innovations such as the changes in Google Finance’s tools or AI that mines work inboxes for insights can make markets feel closer and more volatile to ordinary users, even as they promise better information for some. For job-seekers and side-hustlers, productivity tools powered by large models are changing how work is done and searched for, which feeds both hope and anxiety about the future of work (Gemini’s deep-research features).
What people are actually planning to do
Despite worry, most Americans aren’t dramatically reshaping their financial lives. WalletHub found only about 26% planned a finance-related New Year’s resolution — when they do set goals, saving more is the most common.
That mix of hope and small adjustments is visible in the job market data and surveys: people are looking, but cautiously. That cautiousness is rational given a world where health-care costs bite, rents rise, and paychecks don’t always keep up.
If you’re one of the many considering a job search in 2026, a reliable laptop or a modest tech refresh can matter. For example, a lightweight but capable MacBook remains a popular choice for remote work and interviews — a practical investment for some job-hunters.
The political test ahead
For policymakers, the political test is twofold. First, they must address tangible pressures: reduce friction in health care, stabilize key household costs, and ensure labor-market support for those in disrupted industries. Second, they must close a communications gap: show that policy success reaches Main Street, not just Wall Street.
Surveys from multiple sources show Americans aren’t just reacting to numbers — they’re reacting to daily life. That’s a far tougher problem to solve than revising a GDP forecast. It requires policies that change how people feel about their ability to pay the bills next month, not a narrative that the economy is fine because the indexes are up.
Whatever 2026 brings, the politics of perception will be as important as the policies themselves. And right now, a lot of Americans are waiting to feel the difference.