Overview

• Gallup/Walton’s Voices of Gen Z survey, conducted May 16–27 with nearly 3,800 respondents aged 13–28, finds 45% say they are thriving, down from 49% in 2024 and 47% in 2023.
• Adult Gen Z reports 39% thriving, with adult women falling to 37% from 46% last year as men hold roughly steady at 45% versus 44% in 2024.
• Gen Z students are comparatively upbeat, with 56% thriving and classroom engagement rising across all eight Gallup measures, including more positive feedback (75%) and exciting lessons (78%).
• Thriving is more common among adults with higher incomes or education, as well as Black adults, Republicans, and those practicing a religion, while LGBTQ+ adults are significantly less likely to report thriving.
• Gallup links broader partisanship shifts to well-being trends, noting 2025 thriving rates of 55% for Republican Gen Z adults and 36% for Democrats, with independents up to 43% from 38% in 2024.