Axios Covers AU Sine Institute's Latest Youth Poll
Share who say they do or do not have pride in...
What America has been in the past:
59% do and 41% do not
Where America is heading as a nation:
29% do and 71% do not
Survey of 1,031 U.S. adults aged 18-34 conducted July 23 to Aug. 1, 2026.
A chart showing the share who say they do or do not have pride in select items. Fifty-nine percent of those surveyed say they have pride in what America has been in the past, but only 29% say they have pride in where America is heading as a nation.
What America has been in the past
Younger adults are just half as likely to feel proud of where America is heading as a nation (29%) than what America has been in the past (59%), according to a new poll from the Sine Institute of Policy and Politics at American University conducted by Generation Lab.
Why it matters:
The findings, based on an online survey of 1,031 respondents ages 18-34 conducted July 23 to Aug. 1, are noteworthy across partisan, gender, and ethnic lines.
Seventy-four percent of independents, 69% of white respondents, and 60% of men said they are not proud of where the nation is heading.
The survey also explores views on patriotism and how important being an American is to respondents' identity.
What they're saying:
“While it feels bleak, they know what they want,” said Sine Institute Executive Director Amy K. Dacey.
“They're looking for a future filled with opportunity, progress and equality. They just don't think where we are today is getting them there. So that opens up a conversation for young people and public officials about the direction of the country."