If you’re struggling to remember anything about 2025 that felt genuinely “great,” you’re with the majority.
According to a new survey shared by StudyFinds, only about 1 in 10 Americans described the year as great overall. Everyone else landed somewhere between “okay, I guess” and “please don’t make me relive it.”
The results come from a nationwide survey that asked Americans to reflect on how the year actually felt, not how it looked on Instagram. News stories talked about the economy improving and life returning to normal, but most people didn’t feel that way at all. They felt like they were scraping by. Barely.
Roughly 40 percent of respondents said 2025 was “good” or “very good,” which sounds fine until you realize how low the bar has dropped. A much larger group described the year as average or mediocre, while a significant chunk said it was outright bad. Only about 10 percent felt confident calling it great.
Nearly 90% of Americans Didn’t Have a Great Time in 2025
Money played a starring role in the disappointment. Rising costs, lingering debt, and the feeling that paychecks stretch less each year shaped how people judged their happiness. Even respondents who said they were financially stable often reported stress around housing, healthcare, and long-term security. The sense wasn’t panic. It was fatigue.
Mental health played a significant role in how people judged the year. A lot of people shared the feeling of exhaustion and being stuck in repetitive routines that made it hard to stay hopeful. The data often mentioned work frustrations, burnout, and an overall sense of unease. People weren’t falling apart, but they also weren’t finding much to feel excited about.
Interestingly, the small group who called 2025 “great” didn’t necessarily have wildly different lives. They were more likely to report strong personal relationships, manageable expectations, and a feeling of control over their time. Their optimism seemed tied less to external wins and more to stability and connection.
Age, of course, showed up in the answers. Younger adults were more likely to report frustration and disappointment, often tied to finances and career uncertainty. Older respondents were slightly more forgiving in their assessments, even when dealing with similar pressures. Perspective helps, but it doesn’t erase stress.
The survey didn’t uncover any dramatic national collapse. A lot of people are just freaking tired. They’re doing what they’re supposed to do, showing up to work, paying bills, trying to stay healthy, and wondering why that effort doesn’t translate into feeling good about the year.
Calling 2025 “great” turned out to be a luxury opinion. For most Americans, the year didn’t feel like a win or a loss. It felt like another stretch of time survived. And for a country that keeps being told things are improving, that gap between messaging and lived experience might be the most honest result of all.
The post 90% of Americans Didn’t Have a Great Time in 2025 appeared first on VICE.
