Do Americans Feel Their Concerns Are Being Addressed?

With an election nearing, we recently fielded research among a sample of 1,407 Americans to uncover the prevailing worries about the current state of the nation.  

Nearly six-in-ten (58%) overall indicate they “wish politicians in the United States did a better job of listening to the everyday concerns of citizens”. Secondarily, one-in-four feel that their tax dollars don’t seem to benefit “causes & issues that pertain to me”, with this criticism most prevalent among Gen Z and/or those living in the Westernmost states (33% in each case). Just a quarter (24%) view the US as the safest country to live in (topped by Boomers).

When asked to pinpoint the single issue in the US that causes the most concern, some interesting differences emerge by generation. Climate change/the resulting natural disasters is by far the chief concern among Gen Z, while Boomers are primarily worried about the current political climate. Millennials are split between being chiefly frustrated about climate change/natural disasters and economic & financial uncertainty. Gen X also identifies two main worries: the current political climate and economic & financial uncertainty.

Of noteworthy differences by region, while concerns are more evenly dispersed in the Northeast and Southeast, the current political climate is the most contentious issue among those living in the Midwest or Southwest. By contrast, climate change/natural disasters is the most troubling situation for those in the West. 

On the hot topic of unforeseen events, are natural disasters causing a flood of concern? We’ll provide timely insights about emergency preparedness in an upcoming post.