Ahead of the United States’ 250th anniversary, 59% of Americans say the country’s best years are behind us, while 40% say its best years are ahead. Americans are also much more pessimistic (44%) than optimistic (28%) when asked to think about what things will be like in the U.S. 50 years from now. Another 27% are neither optimistic nor pessimistic, according to a December 2025 Pew Research Center survey. About this research This Pew Research Center analysis explores Americans’ views of the country’s future, including opinions on whether its best years are ahead or in the past. Why did we do this? Pew Research Center conducts research to inform the public, journalists and decision-makers. This research is part of an effort to study public perception on the direction of the U.S. ahead of the 250th anniversary of its founding. It coincides with our analysis about how the U.S. has changed since the country’s bicentennial in 1976. How did we do this? We surveyed 3,560 adults from Dec. 8 to 14, 2025.…