Americans’ views on overall quality of life tick up: Gallup

Views on overall quality of life have ticked up slightly for Americans in the past year, though many hold negative views on particular aspects of life in the U.S., according to a new poll.

A Gallup poll released on Tuesday found that 69 percent of respondents reported being satisfied with overall quality of life, up from 67 percent when the poll asked the same question in 2021.

However, that percentage is still a marked decrease from before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when 84 percent of respondents said when asked the same question that they were satisfied with overall quality of life, indicating that the pandemic has likely played a role in Americans’ feelings. 

A majority of those surveyed in the new poll also responded positively about the opportunity for someone in the U.S. to get ahead by working hard. The poll found that 60 percent of people were satisfied with this aspect of American life, up from 58 percent in 2021. 

However, survey responses regarding other areas of American life showed that respondents hold a predominantly negative view of the state of affairs in the country.

The Gallup poll found that just 30 percent of those surveyed said they are satisfied with the American system of government and how well it works; 32 percent with the size and power of the federal government; 20 percent with the country’s moral and ethical climate and 26 percent with the size and influence of major corporations in the U.S.

When asked about different policy areas, a majority of respondents said they were satisfied with the acceptance of gays and lesbians in the U.S., with 62 percent responding positively, and the position of women in the nation, with 60 percent responding positively, among other areas.

But a majority of those surveyed gave negative responses when asked whether they were satisfied with the state of race relations in the U.S., with just 28 percent responding positively; the nation’s economy, with 33 percent responding positively; and the nation’s efforts to deal with poverty and homelessness, with 21 percent responding positively.

The poll comes as the U.S. continues to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, with many experiencing COVID-19 fatigue over restrictions and disruptions to pre-pandemic life. 

The U.S. is also dealing with lingering supply chain issues and high inflation rates.

The Gallup poll was conducted between Jan. 3 and Jan. 16 with a survey sample of 811 adults. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points with a 95 percent confidence level.