AP-NORC Poll: Americans Describe U.S. Ahead of 250th Anniversary With Mixed Words
AP-NORC poll of 2,596 Americans reveals mixed descriptions of the U.S. ahead of its 250th anniversary, with stark partisan divisions in how Republicans and Democrats view their country.
The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research released findings from a national poll asking 2,596 U.S. adults to describe the United States in one word. Results were published June 25, 2026 at 7:30 AM ET, on the eve of the nation's 250th anniversary.
What happened
The poll was conducted April 16-20, 2026 using NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research asked respondents to provide a single word describing the United States.
Results show Americans offer mixed descriptions of their country:
Positive descriptors: - "Great," "prosperous," or "powerful": 18% - "Free" or "freedom": 13% - "Opportunity" or "fairness": 3%
Negative descriptors: - "Struggling" or "declining": 14% - "Corruption" or "unfairness": 9% - "Instability": 7% - "Confused" or "lost": 5% - "Divided": 4% - "Embarrassing," "disappointing," or "bad": 4%
The poll found that about one-quarter of U.S. adults say that "political interests or values" divide most Americans. About 1 in 10 U.S. adults say the country is divided by its "leaders, government, or elites," its "economic interests or values," or "race or racism."
Partisan divisions are particularly stark: Republicans describe the U.S. positively in about 3 in 10 cases (30%), while Democrats use positive phrases in only about 1 in 10 cases (10%). When asked what divides Americans, roughly one-third of Republicans (33%) say "political interests or values" divide most Americans, compared to about 2 in 10 Democrats (20%).
Why it matters
The poll comes as the United States approaches its bicentennial anniversary. The findings reveal deep divisions in how Americans view their country on this milestone. Republicans and Democrats describe the U.S. very differently, pointing to sharp partisan divides in how people see the country.
About 2 in 10 Americans (20%) say "freedom," "liberty," or "unites" when describing the nation. Roughly 1 in 10 (10%) say "political interests or values" unite most Americans, though this view is far less common among Republicans, about one-third of whom (33%) say political interests and values divide most Americans.
The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.
What to watch
The poll results highlight ongoing debates about national identity and the state of American democracy. The stark partisan differences in how Republicans and Democrats describe their country may have implications for political messaging ahead of upcoming elections.
The findings also underscore concerns about corruption, instability, and division that many Americans express when asked to characterize their nation. These sentiments could shape policy discussions and civic engagement as the country approaches its 250th anniversary.
This article is based on a poll conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
By the numbers
Source snapshot
Sources: - https://apnews.com/projects/poll-america-250-united-states-description/