As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, a new national survey suggests Americans remain sharply divided over how they view their own country, with Democrats and Republicans expressing dramatically different levels of national pride.
The findings come from the latest weekly Economist/YouGov survey, which asked respondents how they would rank the United States compared to other nations.
Overall, a majority of Americans continue to view the country favorably. Twenty-five percent described the United States as “the greatest” country in the world, while another 20 percent said it is “among the greatest.” An additional 12 percent rated America as “better than average.”
On the other end of the spectrum, 12 percent of respondents said the United States is “worse than average,” nine percent considered it “among the worst,” and four percent called it “the worst” country. Another portion of respondents described America as roughly average.
The most striking differences emerged when the results were broken down by political affiliation.
Among Republicans, national pride remained overwhelmingly strong. Fifty-two percent said the United States is the greatest country in the world, while another 28 percent described it as among the greatest. Only a small share of Republican respondents expressed negative views of the country’s standing.
Democrats viewed the nation far differently. Just eight percent said America is the greatest country, with another 16 percent calling it among the greatest. A larger share expressed unfavorable opinions, including 23 percent who said the United States is worse than average compared to other countries. Another 15 percent ranked it among the worst, while four percent described it as the worst country outright.
Thirteen percent of Democrats characterized the United States as average, while another 13 percent said it is better than average.
The ideological divide was similarly pronounced. A majority of conservatives—53 percent—identified America as the world’s greatest country. Among self-described liberals, however, the largest share, 26 percent, said the United States is worse than average compared to other nations.
Voting patterns from the 2024 presidential election reflected similar differences.
Among voters who supported President Donald Trump, 54 percent described America as the greatest country, while another 27 percent said it ranked among the greatest. Notably, none of Trump’s voters surveyed described the United States as the worst country.
Among those who voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris, attitudes were considerably less favorable. Nearly one-quarter said America is worse than average, while 18 percent ranked it among the worst. Five percent of Harris voters said the United States is the worst country.
The survey arrives as preparations continue for the nation’s semiquincentennial celebration in 2026, marking 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Federal, state, and local officials are organizing commemorative events across the country, including the launch of the Great American State Fair on the National Mall.
The findings also coincide with another recent Economist/YouGov poll that found a sizable share of Democrats expressing discomfort with their national identity. According to that survey, nearly four in ten Democrats said they felt ashamed to be American.
