Report · Culture

Four-in-ten Americans expect the next decade to be better than the last

Reading

In a Verasight survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted July 14 to 24, 2025, 41% of Americans said the next 10 years of their life will be better than the last 10 years.

About three-in-ten said the next decade will be about the same (32%), and 28% said it will be worse.

Topline

single choice

Topline distribution

41% of Americans expect the next decade to be better than the last.

Generally speaking, do you think the next 10 years of your life will be better or worse than the last 10 years of your life have been?

  • The next 10 years will be better 40.5%
  • The next 10 years will be about the same 31.8%
  • The next 10 years will be worse 27.7%

2025 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.1%

EPOVB Conference Omnibus Survey #2025-059

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
2025-07-14 → 2025-07-24
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.1%
Module
EPOVB Conference Omnibus Survey #2025-059

Source

  • 01
    Four-in-ten Americans expect the next decade to be better than the lastreports.verasight.io/reports/epovb-conference-omnibus-survey-2025-059

Citation

EPOVB Conference Omnibus Survey #2025-059, fielded July 14-24, 2025, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.1%.

https://reports.verasight.io/reports/epovb-conference-omnibus-survey-2025-059#generally-speaking-do-you-think-the-next-10-years-of-your-life-will-be-better-or-worse-than-the-last-10-years-of-your-life-have-been

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. Each wave's specific field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that wave's 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
Every wave is published as a standalone report at verasight.io/reports with full instrument and methodology.
Transparency
AAPOR transparency standards.

Wave-specific methodology, full weighting variable lists, and verbatim instrument text live in each report at verasight.io/reports.