Growing divide in how generations see the United States' international economic standing % who say the U.S. is the world's leading economy
Older generations are more likely to see the U.S. as the world’s leading economy. In 2008, generations differed little in their assessments of which country was the world’s leading economic power – the U.S., China, countries in the EU or Japan. But, particularly since 2016, generational gaps have emerged. Now, Gen Xers are more likely than Millennials to say the U.S. is the world’s leading economy (66% vs. 51%, respectively).
Growing divide in how generations see the United  | States' international economic standing  | % who say the U.S. is the world's leading economy  | 100 %  | 63 Silent  | 66 61 Gen X  | 51 66 61 Millennial Gen Boomer X  | 51  | 51 Millennial Boomer  | 49  | 46  | 40  | 0  | 2008  | 2011  | 2014  | 2017  | 2020  | Note: The Silent Generation was not analyzed in 2020 due to low sample size.  | Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted March 3-29, 2020  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 