Poll: Young Americans Think Job Market Is Terrible. Boomers Don't.
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For years, younger Americans were more optimistic about finding work than older Americans, even during the Great Recession. Now that’s flipped. Only 43 percent of Americans aged 15-34 think it’s a good time to find a job, compared to 64 percent of those 55 and over, according to a new Gallup poll. That 21-point gap is the biggest generational divide of the 141 countries surveyed.
The shift happened fast. Young Americans’ confidence in the job market dropped 27 percentage points between 2023 and 2025—comparable to the 2008 financial crisis. But unlike that recession, older Americans’ optimism barely moved.
The younger set’s pessimism tracks with rising anxiety about housing costs, economic challenges, and the AI eliminating entry-level jobs.
So why are older Americans so optimistic? Many aren’t actually job hunting—they’re retired or already employed, so they judge the market abstractly without personal stakes. They’re also far more likely to own homes and have savings, insulating them from the housing and cost-of-living shocks driving young workers’ pessimism. Older Americans tend to filter economic news through an “I’ve seen worse” lens, while younger workers see barriers their parents never faced.
For years, younger Americans were more optimistic about finding work than older Americans, even during the Great Recession. Now that’s flipped. Only 43 percent of Americans aged 15-34 think it’s a good time to find a job, compared to 64 percent of those 55 and over, according to a new Gallup poll. That 21-point gap is the biggest generational divide of the 141 countries surveyed.
The shift happened fast. Young Americans’ confidence in the job market dropped 27 percentage points between 2023 and 2025—comparable to the 2008 financial crisis. But unlike that recession, older Americans’ optimism barely moved.
The younger set’s pessimism tracks with rising anxiety about housing costs, economic challenges, and the AI eliminating entry-level jobs.
So why are older Americans so optimistic? Many aren’t actually job hunting—they’re retired or already employed, so they judge the market abstractly without personal stakes. They’re also far more likely to own homes and have savings, insulating them from the housing and cost-of-living shocks driving young workers’ pessimism. Older Americans tend to filter economic news through an “I’ve seen worse” lens, while younger workers see barriers their parents never faced.
Jonathan Small
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Founder, Strike Fire Productions
Entrepreneur Staff
Jonathan Small is a bestselling author, journalist, producer, and podcast host. For 25 years, he... Read more
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