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In a notable shift of sentiment, American voters are showing increased optimism about their personal circumstances as 2025 comes to a close, though views remain divided along partisan lines, according to a Fox News survey released Friday.
Nearly half of voters (45%) report that 2025 was a good year for them personally, marking a five-percentage-point increase from last year and approaching pre-pandemic levels. This represents the highest personal satisfaction rating since 2019, when 47% of respondents expressed positive feelings about their year.
The improvement extends to perceptions about the nation as a whole, though to a lesser degree. Approximately one-third of voters (35%) believe 2025 was a good year for the United States, up from 28% in 2024. Still, a significant majority (66%) maintain that the country experienced a difficult year, a figure that has remained relatively stable since 2022.
The survey reveals stark partisan contrasts in these assessments. Republicans overwhelmingly report positive experiences, with 65% saying 2025 was good for their families and 63% believing it was good for the country. This represents substantial increases of 31 and 44 percentage points respectively since 2024. In contrast, Democrats’ outlook has deteriorated, with only 28% reporting a good personal year (down 22 points) and a mere 9% viewing it as positive for the nation (down 33 points).
“Obviously, most of the shifts from 2024 to 2025 are due to how partisans have reacted to the change from a Democratic to a Republican administration,” explains Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts Fox News surveys alongside Democratic partner Chris Anderson. “It’s not so much that prices have changed or wages have moved, it’s that Republicans feel better with their guy in the White House and Democrats feel worse.”
Demographic factors also influence perceptions, with men, college-educated voters, and households earning $50,000 or more annually reporting more favorable assessments of the year.
Looking forward, Americans appear divided about the nation’s trajectory. The survey found 48% feeling hopeful about the future, while 52% express concern—a reversal from last year’s more positive outlook. This sentiment also splits along party lines, with three-quarters of Republicans optimistic about what’s ahead, while an equal proportion of Democrats and about 60% of independents harbor doubts.
This represents a complete reversal from four years ago, when Democrats were predominantly hopeful while Republicans and independents expressed pessimism.
The holiday season brings additional challenges, with more than half of voters (52%) worried about affording gifts this year. These financial anxieties are particularly pronounced among specific demographic groups, including mothers (68%), voters under 30 (68%), Hispanic voters (66%), women without college degrees (64%), and lower-income households earning under $50,000 (62%).
Perhaps in response to these economic pressures, the survey indicates growing acceptance of re-gifting, with 81% of respondents saying it’s at least sometimes acceptable to pass along a received gift to someone else—up from 73% in 2013. Currently, 62% believe re-gifting is sometimes acceptable, 19% say it’s always fine, and 19% consider it never appropriate.
The Fox News survey was conducted December 12-15, 2025, with a random sample of 1,001 registered voters and has a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. The results highlight how Americans’ perceptions continue to evolve in a politically polarized environment, with personal experiences and partisan affiliations heavily influencing their outlook on the past year and expectations for the future.
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10 Comments
While the improved personal satisfaction is good news, the persistent negative views on the country as a whole are troubling. Bridging these divides and restoring a sense of national unity should be a key priority.
This poll underscores the complexity of assessing public sentiment in today’s polarized environment. The partisan gaps are striking and will likely continue to be a major factor in political discourse going forward.
The data on Republicans’ views is particularly noteworthy – a substantial uptick in positive sentiments about both personal and national circumstances. I’d be curious to understand the reasons behind this shift.
While it’s positive to see higher personal satisfaction rates, the stark political divide is concerning. I hope leaders can find ways to bridge these gaps and improve national unity, even if views on the economy differ.
Agreed, the partisan nature of these results is quite troubling. Bridging divides and restoring a sense of common purpose will be crucial going forward.
It’s encouraging to see personal satisfaction levels approaching pre-pandemic highs, but the political divides are concerning. Hopefully policymakers can find ways to address the underlying economic and social issues in a balanced way.
The data on perceptions of the US as a whole is interesting – a third seeing it as a good year, but two-thirds still seeing difficulties. Seems like a mixed picture overall. Curious to dive deeper into the underlying factors.
Interesting to see a boost in personal satisfaction, even if views remain divided. I wonder what’s driving the increased optimism, especially on the Republican side. Curious to understand the full context behind these survey results.
You raise a good point. Partisan divides are certainly a factor, but there may be other economic or social trends influencing these perceptions as well.
This poll highlights the challenges of assessing national sentiment in such a polarized climate. The partisan gaps are quite striking. I wonder what specific issues are driving these divergent views among Republicans and Democrats.