Only half of people say they’re proud to be American as country celebrates 250th anniversary

Only half of people say they’re proud to be American as country celebrates 250th anniversary The decline is most prominent among young adults, according to the Public Religion Research Institute - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Just over half of Americans say they are proud of their nationality as the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its founding, according to a series of new studies highlighting a sharp decline in national pride and a widening generational divide. Data from multiple research groups indicates that traditional patriotism is fractured along partisan and age lines, with younger generations increasingly pessimistic about the country’s economic prospects and the state of its democracy. A newly released survey by the Public Religion Research Institute found that 51 percent of respondents were extremely or very proud to be American. This marks a significant drop from 2013, when 82 percent of respondents expressed the same sentiment to the organization. The decline is most noticeable among young adults. Only 34 percent of Americans aged 18 to 29 told PRRI they were proud to be American, compared with 66 percent of those aged 65 and older. Melissa Deckman, the chief executive of PRRI, told Newsweek that members of Generation Z were entering adulthood facing severe economic pressures, such as high housing costs, expensive healthcare and widening income inequality. As reported by Newsweek, Deckman stated that younger people were increasingly doubtful that the American Dream remained attainable, a feeling that has intensified following the 2024 presidential election. “America has not always lived up to the democratic ideals enshrined in the Constitution,” Deckman told the publication in emailed comments. “But there has long been a sense that the country was moving forward—that all Americans had the opportunity and freedom to participate fully in the democratic experiment. This finding challenges that notion, revealing how uneasy Americans are about what lies ahead.” Political affiliation also remains a primary driver of national pride. According to the PRRI data, 83 percent of Republicans say they are proud to be American, compared with 43 percent of independents and 31 percent of Democrats. When asked about specific aspects of the nation, public pride dropped further. The PRRI study found that 49 percent of respondents were proud of America’s 250-year history, 34 percent were proud of its economic achievements and 24 percent were proud of its moral example. Only 18 percent expressed pride in how American democracy functions today. Additionally, 68 percent of respondents told PRRI that the U.S. was in real danger of losing important democratic rights and freedoms, while 29 percent believed those rights would remain protected. Other polling firms reported a similar downward trend. A Gallup poll conducted in June 2025 found that overall national pride had hit a record low of 58 percent, down from 87 percent in 2001 and a peak of 90 percent following the September 11 terrorist attacks. Gallup also tracked a long-term generational shift, noting that between 2021 and 2025, just 41 percent of Gen Z adults expressed pride in being American, compared with 83 percent of the Silent Generation. This widespread pessimism extends to views on public institutions and the future of the country. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in early 2026 revealed that 69 percent of Americans were dissatisfied with the nation’s direction. The Pew data showed that majorities expected the U.S. economy to weaken and the country to become less globally important by the year 2050. Similarly, an NBC News and Roper poll from May and June 2026 found that 78 percent of adults believed the American Dream was harder to achieve now than it was for previous generations. The poll also found that a majority of Americans held little to no confidence in the federal government, Congress or the national news media. Despite the decline in national pride, civic engagement remains steady in several parts of the country. An analysis by WalletHub based on data from May 2026 ranked Virginia, Montana and Vermont as the most patriotic states based on metrics such as military service, volunteer rates and voter turnout, suggesting that many Americans continue to participate in civic life even as their confidence in national institutions wavers. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments