69%
1994 (latest)
AVERAGE PERSON'S LOT IS GETTING WORSE
percent agreeing the lot of the average person is getting worse · 1973–1994 · lower is better · computed from NORC General Social Survey (cumulative file 1972–2024)
55%
1973
69%
high · 1994
49%
low · 1985
+13 pts
since 1973
┊ dashed lines mark 1979 Oil shock & inflation peak · 1987 Black Monday crash · 1991 Gulf War recession
Method & caveats. What people believe: In spite of what some people say, the lot (situation/condition) of the average man is getting worse, not better — do you agree or disagree? NORC General Social Survey cumulative file, computed here from the public microdata: weighted (WTSSPS, NORC's post-stratification weight available for every year 1972–2024) share of valid responses. 2021 moved to a push-to-web design during the pandemic and 2022/2024 are mixed-mode; NORC advises caution comparing 2021+ with the in-person years, so treat 2021 as a seam. Years with fewer than 200 weighted responses are dropped. Breaks: item retired from the GSS after 1994; 2021 web-mode transition does not apply.
Sources
Every value on this page is read from the publisher below. Current and historical source documents:
- https://gss.norc.org/get-the-data/stata.html
- https://gss.norc.org/content/dam/gss/get-the-data/documents/stata/GSS_stata.zip
- https://github.com/danielmiessler/substrate/tree/main/Data/US-Societal-Health
Data
| Year | Average Person's Lot Is Getting Worse | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 69% | +0.1 pts |
| 1993 | 69% | +8.8 pts |
| 1991 | 60% | +1.1 pts |
| 1990 | 59% | −1.5 pts |
| 1989 | 60% | −1.9 pts |
| 1988 | 62% | −0.5 pts |
| 1987 | 63% | +14 pts |
| 1985 | 49% | −4.6 pts |
| 1984 | 54% | −12 pts |
| 1982 | 66% | −2.0 pts |
| 1980 | 68% | +11 pts |
| 1977 | 57% | −4.5 pts |
| 1976 | 61% | −0.5 pts |
| 1974 | 62% | +6.2 pts |
| 1973 | 55% | — |
Also in Happiness & Outlook