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How about (1996-LATER: Now thinking about) the economy (1990,1994- later: in the country as a whole)? Would you say that over the past year the nation’s economy has gotten better, stayed (all yrs. exc 1984: about) the same or gotten worse? (IF BETTER:) Would you say much better or somewhat better? (IF WORSE:) Would you say much worse or somewhat worse?
How much better or worse the economy got in past year · Asked in 18 waves, 1980–2024 · 49,597 responses · weighted estimates computed from individual responses
Kept and flagged: -4 (other_missing), -2 (other_missing), 0 (other_missing), 8 (dk), 9 (no_answer).
Dashed lines mark changes in how interviews were done, which can shift answers: 1. → mixed mode (2012).
Shares of people who gave an answer. Each column is one wave, evenly spaced rather than to scale in time; hover for exact shares.
| Group | Much better | Somewhat better | Stayed same | Somewhat worse | Much worse | n | MoE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All respondents |
| Poll | Field dates | Mode | Respondents | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANES 2024 Time Series Study Source variable: V241292, V241294x. | 2024-08-03 to 2025-02-17 | mixed | 5,521 | 5,521 |
| ANES 2020 Time Series Study Source variable: V201325, V201326, V201327x. | 2020-08-18 to 2021-01-04 | mixed | 8,280 | 8,280 |
| ANES 2016 Time Series Study Source variable: V161140x,V161140,V161140a. | 2016-09-07 to 2017-01-09 | mixed | 4,270 | 4,270 |
| ANES 2012 Time Series Study Source variable: econ_ecpast_x,econ_ecpast. | 2012-09-09 to 2013-01-13 | mixed | 5,914 | 5,914 |
| ANES 2008 Time Series Study Source variable: V083083,V083083x. | 2008-09-02 to 2008-12-30 | face to face | 2,322 | 2,322 |
| ANES 2004 Time Series Study Source variable: V043098. | 2004-09-07 to 2004-12-19 | face to face | 1,212 | 1,212 |
| ANES 2002 Time Series Study Source variable: V023028. | 2002-09-18 to 2002-12-06 | phone | 1,511 | 1,511 |
Dashed lines mark changes in how interviews were done, which can shift answers: 1. → mixed mode (2012).
Shares of people who gave an answer. A group’s column is left blank in waves where its effective sample is under 50; hover for exact shares.
| 6% |
| 14% |
| 21% |
| 17% |
| 41% |
| 5521 |
| ±2 |
| Democrats | 13% | 27% | 30% | 14% | 16% | 1930 | ±3 |
| Independents (incl. leaners) | 3% | 11% | 22% | 20% | 43% | 1810 | ±3 |
| Republicans | 1% | 3% | 11% | 18% | 67% | 1743 | ±3 |
ANES 2024 Time Series Study · US citizens 18+ (face-to-face samples: contiguous 48 states and DC; web samples: 50 states and DC). Shares of people who gave an answer. n is unweighted; ± is the 95% margin of error at 50% from the weighted effective sample. Groups with an effective sample under 50 are grayed; under 20, hidden.
| ANES 2000 Time Series Study Source variable: V000491. | 2000-09-05 to 2000-12-22 | mixed | 1,807 | 1,807 |
| ANES 1998 Time Series Study Source variable: V980419. | 1998-11-04 to 1998-12-23 | mixed | 1,281 | 1,281 |
| ANES 1996 Time Series Study Source variable: V960386. | 1996-09-03 to 1997-01-02 | mixed | 1,714 | 1,714 |
| ANES 1994 Time Series Study Source variable: V940909. | 1994-11-09 to 1995-01-08 | mixed | 1,795 | 1,795 |
| ANES 1992 Time Series Study Source variable: V923532. | 1992-09-02 to 1993-01-16 | mixed | 2,485 | 2,485 |
| ANES 1990 Time Series Study Source variable: V900423. | 1990-11-06 to 1991-01-21 | face to face | 1,980 | 1,980 |
| ANES 1988 Time Series Study Source variable: V880244. | 1988-09-06 to 1989-01-23 | face to face | 2,040 | 2,040 |
| ANES 1986 Time Series Study Source variable: V860373. | 1986-11-05 to 1987-02-07 | face to face | 2,176 | 2,176 |
| ANES 1984 Time Series Study Source variable: V840228. | 1984-09-04 to 1985-01-24 | mixed | 2,257 | 2,257 |
| ANES 1982 Time Series Study Source variable: V820328. | 1982-11-02 to 1983-01-31 | face to face | 1,418 | 1,418 |
| ANES 1980 Time Series Study Source variable: V800150. | 1980-09-02 to 1981-02-07 | face to face | 1,614 | 1,614 |