Report · Culture

Americans head into 2026 with a mix of hope and worry

Reading

Americans enter 2026 with worry and hope at almost the same level. Four in ten feel at least somewhat worried about the year, including 20% who are very worried, and 40% feel at least somewhat hopeful, including 15% who are very hopeful, according to a Verasight survey conducted Dec. 22, 2025 to Jan. 5, 2026.

The remaining one-in-five (20%) call their outlook for the year neutral.

Topline

single choice

Topline distribution

Americans head into 2026 with a mix of hope and worry.

When you think about 2026 overall, which best describes your outlook?

  • Somewhat hopeful 24.9%
  • Somewhat worried 20.9%
  • Neutral 19.9%
  • Very worried 19.5%
  • Very hopeful 14.7%

2025 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.1%

predictions

View source

Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2025-12-22 → 2026-01-05
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.1%
Module
predictions

Source

Citation

2026 Predictions Survey #2025-183, fielded December 22, 2025-January 5, 2026, N=1,000 United States adults, +/- 3.1%.

https://reports.verasight.io/r/2026-predictions

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. When a wave report is published, its field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io. Verified legacy reports remain on their original hosts, and unpublished reports are marked pending.
Transparency
Verasight is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research Transparency Initiative.

The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io; older reports may remain on verified legacy hosts.