Record share of Americans say 'suffering' amid inflation, political division: Gallup

NEW YORK - The number of Americans who say they are "thriving" in the present climate has declined and the share of those who are "suffering" is higher than it's been in almost 15 years, according to a Gallup survey on Monday.

According to the data, 5.6 percent of respondents rated their lives at the "suffering" level, the highest mark in the category since Gallup began the Life Evaluation Index in 2008.

"This exceeds the previous high of 4.8 percent measured in April and is statistically higher than all prior estimates in the COVID-19 era," Gallup said in a statement. "Across extensive measurement since January 2008, the suffering percentage has reached 4.5 percent or higher on a handful of occasions."

Gallup polled more than 3,600 U.S. adults for its Life Evaluation Index, which asks respondents to rate their present living situation and anticipate their future situation.

For the index, respondents are asked to rate their current and future lives on a scale between 0 and 10 based on the Cantril Self-Anchoring Striving Scale. The answers then fall into one of three categories -- thriving, struggling and suffering. Any number between 0 and 4 lands in the suffering category.