58.8%
2024 (latest)
KIDS WILL BE BETTER OFF
percent expecting their children's standard of living to be better than their own · 1994–2024 · higher is better · NORC General Social Survey (cumulative file 1972–2024)
52.2%
1994
69.1%
high · 2000
52.2%
low · 1994
+6.6 pts
since 1994
┊ dashed lines mark 2001 Dot-com bust & 9/11 · 2008 Global financial crisis · 2020 COVID-19 pandemic
Method & caveats. When your children are at the age you are now, do you think their standard of living will be much better, somewhat better, about the same, somewhat worse, or much worse than yours is now? 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.
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 | Kids Will Be Better Off | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 58.8% | +1.9 pts |
| 2022 | 56.9% | −7.1 pts |
| 2018 | 64% | +2.6 pts |
| 2016 | 61.4% | +3.4 pts |
| 2014 | 58% | +1.2 pts |
| 2012 | 56.8% | −4.1 pts |
| 2010 | 60.9% | +1.3 pts |
| 2008 | 59.6% | −4.3 pts |
| 2006 | 63.9% | +3.5 pts |
| 2004 | 60.4% | −8.5 pts |
| 2002 | 68.9% | −0.2 pts |
| 2000 | 69.1% | +5.5 pts |
| 1998 | 63.6% | +11 pts |
| 1996 | 52.8% | +0.6 pts |
| 1994 | 52.2% | — |
Also in Happiness & Outlook