Young Americans' Job Market Pessimism Stands Out Globally
Gallup News • • world
Key Points:
- In 2025, only 43% of Americans aged 15 to 34 felt it was a good time to find a local job, 21 points lower than the 55+ age group, marking the largest generational gap globally in job market optimism.
- This negative sentiment among younger Americans is a recent trend, reversing previous patterns; youth optimism dropped sharply by 27 points since 2023, paralleling declines seen during the 2007-2009 financial crisis.
- Unlike in the U.S., most other advanced economies show younger adults remaining more optimistic than older adults about local job markets, with the U.S. youth pessimism being uniquely pronounced.
- The steepest decline in optimism is among highly educated young Americans not yet employed full-time, potentially reflecting concerns about automation and AI impacting entry-level jobs.
- Despite youth pessimism, Americans aged 35 and older remain relatively upbeat about job prospects compared to their OECD counterparts, highlighting a distinct generational divide within the U.S. labor market.