WHAT THE DATA SAY: 63% of young people and 53% of parents talk about relocating to another country due stress in the USA

STRESSED OUT IN AMERICA

The toll of societal division goes deeper than political frustration for stressed Americans, according to our Harris Poll research with the American Psychological Association.

• 62% report societal division as a significant source of stress in their lives.
• 76% say the future of the nation is a significant source of stress.
• 69% cite the spread of inaccurate or misleading information as a major source of stress, up from 62% last year.
• Technology also is to blame: 57% say the rise in AI is causing significant stress, up from 49%.
• 63% of those ages 18-34 and 53% of parents have considered relocating to another country due to the state of the nation.
• One result of today's environment is loneliness: 54% feel isolated from others, 50% feel left out, and 50% lack companionship.
• Adults with high levels of loneliness are more likely to suffer from chronic health issues (80%) than those with moderate (66%) or low (68%) loneliness levels.
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$1 MILLION NO LONGER = WEALTHY

One million dollars is no longer enough to be considered "rich" in America, according to our Harris Poll survey with Northwestern Mutual.

• The U.S. is home to the most millionaires, 23.8 million, of any country in the world.
• Yet only 36% actually consider themselves "wealthy."
• 49% say their financial planning needs improvement.
• 53% believe they will leave behind an inheritance.

RETIREMENT OUT OF REACH

America's middle class is struggling to reach retirement savings goals, according to our Harris Poll survey with the Transamerica Institute.

• The middle class represents 56% of the U.S. population, earning an annual household income between $50,000 and $199,999.
• They are predominately white (60%), employed (57%) and married (53%).
• The top priorities of middle class adults are: enjoying life (63%), being healthy and fit (61%), focusing on family (42%) and planning for their financial future (42%).
• Only 21% of 50-year-olds have a written retirement plan.
• 61% believe they will never be able to fully retire.
• 47% have dipped in to savings to cover unexpected expenses.
• 87% have taken at least one step to help ensure they can continue working as long as they want and need.
• 44% are worried that AI and robotics are making their job skills no longer needed.

CANADIAN REPUTATION ON THE RISE

Despite economic uncertainty and low familiarity, corporate reputation is improving in Canada, according to the Harris Poll's second annual Corporate Reputation Survey with Canadian Business.

• 44 out of 47 companies that were in the 2024 and 2025 studies experiences an increase in reputation scores.
• 86% of Canadians are rethinking their priorities as consumers.
• The PWHL is No. 1 for the second year in a row and ranks highest in all three character elements (culture, ethics and citizenship).
• 87% agree that now more than ever before, it is important for Canadians to support Canadian businesses.
• Chinese companies performed poorly: Shein at No. 88, Temu at No. 93 and TikTok at No. 94.

CASH IS NOT KING

The popularity of card payments and buy-now-pay-later apps make paper money obsolete in the eyes of Gen Z, according to our Harris Poll survey with Cash App.

• 53% of Gen Z use physical cash only as a last resort when paying.
• 29% believe people who pay with cash are out of touch.

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