Rural Optimism Surges Amid Economic Concerns, Urban Anxiety Grows

Mon Nov 17 2025 16:42:07 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A new survey reveals contrasting outlooks on the future of America: rural areas are becoming more optimistic while urban residents express growing pessimism, highlighting divisions in public sentiment amid economic challenges.

A recent survey from the American Communities Project indicates a rise in optimism among rural Americans despite economic anxieties, while urban residents exhibit increased pessimism regarding the nation's future. Concerns about inflation and economic stability are prevalent across all communities, but rural areas show a notable increase in hope for improvement.

DES MOINES, Iowa — A new survey from the American Communities Project shows a marked increase in optimism about the future from residents in rural areas, contrasting with a growing sense of pessimism in urban centers across the United States.

The survey highlights a division in public sentiment, with rural Americans exhibiting greater hope amidst economic uncertainties, while urban dwellers express heightened concerns about national stability, especially regarding inflation and economic challenges.

According to the American Communities Project/Ipsos survey, 60% of rural Middle Americans feel optimistic about the country's future, a significant rise from 43% noted in the previous year's survey. In stark contrast, the percentage of hopeful residents in big cities has dropped from 55% to just 45% this year.

The survey also revealed that, despite rising crime rates highlighted by President Trump, residents in large metropolitan areas are less likely to rank gun violence and crime as primary concerns today compared to past years. This speaks to a shifting focus towards economic issues, with inflation ranks as an overriding concern in all communities.

Many rural respondents, like Carl Gruber from Newark, Ohio, express hope that economic conditions will improve and prices will stabilize as the administration takes steps to rejuvenate the economy...

Conversely, urban residents like Robert Engel from San Antonio communicate worries, not only regarding the economy but also about the broader implications of democracy and social polarization, articulating that maintaining a stable job market and healthcare availability for the next generation is their priority.

In heavily Hispanic regions, feelings of hope have significantly declined, with only 58% expressing optimism, down from 78% from the previous year, reflecting a burgeoning fear regarding perceptions of safety and future prospects in light of recent political atmosphere and policy enforcement.

This survey, conducted with nearly 5,500 adults via both online and telephone interviews between late August and early September 2025, points to growing economic angst as a shared concern across varied communities, despite the diverging outlooks between rural and urban America.