As America prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary in 2026, America250 has launched with the ambitious goal of creating the nation’s largest and most inclusive commemoration in its history. To better understand how Americans feel today, America250 partnered with SSRS to survey adults and teenagers on their views of the United States, its history, and its future.
Here are the top findings from 1,249 adult Americans and 327 American teenagers polled in May 2021:
Hope for the Future: American adults are united by classic American ideals.
- Ninety-two percent (92%) of adults are united in wanting to help make America a better place to live. They collectively believe in the American Dream of working hard (83%).
- In their own words, Americans are hopeful for a better future (38%), a better political system (23%), and a future with more unity and acceptance (23%).
- Seventy-nine percent (79%) of adults agree that they would rather live in America than elsewhere.
- Respondents rally around words like “freedom” (81%) and “opportunity” (80%) as the top words associated with America.
- Seventy-eight percent (78%) of adults agree they are proud to be an American, while 72% consider themselves patriotic.
- When asked to use their own words, American adults overwhelmingly associate being American with freedom (51%).