The percentage of U.S. adults evaluating their lives well enough to be considered “thriving” on Gallup’s Life Evaluation Index stood at 48.9% in Quarter 1, 2025, matching the previous estimate from Quarter 4, 2024, which was fielded in late November. These two levels mark the first time since spring 2020 that the thriving rate has been under 50% for two consecutive measurement periods and are two of just three sub-50% estimates ever to be measured outside of the Great Recession and COVID-19 eras.
Since reaching a record high of 59.2% in June 2021 — six months into the COVID-19 vaccine rollout — the thriving rate has now shed over 10 percentage points, projecting to an estimated 27 million fewer Americans who are thriving now compared with four years ago. These results are part of the Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index.
The most recent survey, conducted Feb. 18-26, 2025, included 5,876 U.S. adults surveyed by web as part of the Gallup Panel, a probability-based panel encompassing all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
(Gallup) Americans' Life Ratings Slump to Five-Year Low https://t.co/zcBJlfbB6r #culturewatch #usa
— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) April 16, 2025