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For many young voters, the future doesn't feel quite so bright. Gen Z and millennial Americans are feeling increasingly demoralized about their economic prospects, and some say their concerns have gone unaddressed by elected officials.
In communities of all kinds, voters in their 20s and 30s are confronting a financial reality of rising costs, mounting debt and minimal wage growth. But how is this changing their political views?
It's a question that NPR put to readers. We received more than 1,100 submissions from across the political spectrum from almost every state in the U.S.
Many described a similar reality — one where economic worries loom large over their everyday lives and erode their faith in the ability of those in power. Taken together, their responses paint a portrait of a generation of voters discouraged by what they see in Washington and who increasingly feel as if they have no political home.
It is important to note that the responses are not from a representative sample of all young voters. But what readers shared helps highlight a steep challenge facing Democrats and Republicans alike as they work to win over these voters, who are collectively expected to make up more than half the electorate in 2028. Here is a snapshot of what readers shared.
These responses have been edited for clarity and length.
Young voters are united in disappointment
Many young Americans feel a collective sense of disillusionment in the political system, and respondents told NPR that their financial struggles are exacerbating that pain.
Recent polling seems to underscore the frustrations many shared with NPR. Just a fraction of young voters feel confident in government institutions, with less than 2 in 10 of those 18 to 29 years old saying they trust the federal government to do the right thing most or all of the time, according to the latest Harvard Youth Poll, from this spring. Similarly, only 16% of those under 30 believe democracy is working well for them, according to a report from the young voter research organization, CIRCLE.
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Their life goals are on hold — for some indefinitely
Young people shared that one of the biggest drivers feeding into their sense of political frustration is the struggle to get ahead financially or even just stay afloat.
When asked what economic success looks like for them, respondents didn't want lavish mansions or high-priced sports cars. Instead, their ambitions were more modest, often centering on the need for financial stability. Yet even that felt out of reach for many.
Young Americans said goals like owning a home, starting a family or pursuing a dream job feel increasingly like a luxury rather than an achievable milestone. Financial concerns are forcing them to reframe what's possible and sometimes choose one goal over another.
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Financial roadblocks standing in the way
Many are navigating a unique economic moment where both median home and rental prices, for example, have risen at a faster pace than wages for roughly two decades. People are also waiting longer to buy homes. The median age of a first-time homebuyer in 2024 stood at 38, 10 years older than in the early 1990s, according to the National Association of Realtors.
Debt is also a barrier. Despite collectively making up the largest share of the labor force and being on track to surpass older generations in educational attainment, Generation Z and millennials have higher rates of student loan debt and more mortgage debt.
Family planning looks different as well. People are deciding to have fewer children or not start a family. Last year, the U.S. fertility rate hit a record low, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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They watched their parents succeed, but struggle themselves
In the face of financial challenges, respondents say they're struggling to reach or build upon the lifestyle achieved by their parents and grandparents, making some feel less hopeful about the future.
Even with hard work and a degree, many readers said they have accomplished less than their parents had by the same age. This has led many to feel disillusioned with, even betrayed by, the very system that promised to set them up for success and stability.
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Despite losing faith in most politicians, populism resonates
Young Americans see very few politicians actively addressing their concerns around affordability, leading some to lose faith in the effectiveness of either major political party.
"Over time, I've come to see our two-party system as two wings on the same bird," explained 27-year-old respondent Sophie Howard, from Davenport, Iowa.
When asked which politicians are speaking to their concerns, liberal-leaning respondents frequently highlighted progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Zohran Mamdani, the Democrats' nominee for mayor in New York City. Readers on the conservative side often coalesced around President Trump and Vice President Vance.
Many respondents returned to the same point: that they're most inspired by populist-style leaders who focus on disrupting the status quo. It's a message that young people say goes past political labels, pushing some to opposite poles on the ideological spectrum and leaving others feeling stuck in the middle.
Copyright 2025 NPR
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