Whites, highly educated more pessimistic about country's future standing in the worldAmericans are narrowly hopeful about the future of the Us over the adjacent 30 years but more pessimistic when the focus turns to specific issues, including this country's identify in the world, the toll of health care and the strength of the U.S. economic system.

Overall, half-dozen-in-ten adults predict that that the U.S. volition be less of import in the world in 2050. While well-nigh key demographic groups share this view, it is more widely held by whites and those with more education. Nearly ii-thirds of whites (65%) forecast a macerated role in the world for the U.S. in 30 years, a view shared by 48% of blacks and Hispanics. Roughly seven-in-10 adults with a bachelor's or college degree (69%) see a lesser role internationally for America. By contrast, 6-in-10 of those with some higher education (but no bachelor'due south degree) and 52% of those with less instruction are as pessimistic about the land'southward future globe stature.

The current partisan political contend over the state's proper function in the globe is mirrored in these results. About 2-thirds of Democrats and independents who lean Democratic (65%), only closer to one-half of Republicans and Republican leaners (52%), think America volition exist a diminished forcefulness in the world in 2050. These differences are even greater among partisans at opposite ends of the ideological calibration: 72% of self-described liberal Democrats but 49% of conservative Republicans say the U.South. will be less important internationally in thirty years.

As they meet the importance of the U.S. in the world receding, many Americans expect the influence of China will grow. Virtually half of all adults (53%) expect that People's republic of china definitely or probably volition overtake the United States equally the world's main superpower in the adjacent 30 years. As with U.S. standing in the world, big party differences sally on this question. Nearly six-in-ten Democrats (59%) but just under one-half of Republicans (46%) predict that China will supplant the U.S. as the globe'southward main superpower.

The public predicts another nine/11 – or worse – past 2050

Less educated adults are more likely to say another major terrorist attack will happenFor an overwhelming majority of Americans, the nine/11 terrorist attacks stand as the most important celebrated upshot in their lifetimes. As Americans look ahead to 2050, six-in-ten say that a terrorist set on on the U.Southward. every bit bad or worse than ix/xi will definitely (12%) or probably (48%) happen.

This troublesome prediction is widely expressed by most major demographic groups. Roughly equal proportions of whites (61%), blacks (56%) and Hispanics (59%) say such a terrorist attack is likely erstwhile in the next 30 years, so do 57% of men and 62% of women. While Republicans are more probable than Democrats to say such an attack will definitely or probably happen, majorities in each group limited this view (63% of Republicans and 57% of Democrats).

At the same time, some demographic differences do emerge. Those with some college or less education are more than likely than college graduates to wait another 9/11 (64% vs. 49%) by 2050. And Americans who are l or older are more probable than younger adults to say this will happen.

Narrow majority sees a weaker economy in 2050

Slightly more than half the country expects a weaker economy in 30 yearsJust over half of the public (54%) predicts that the U.S. economic system in 30 years will be weaker than information technology is today, while 38% say it volition be stronger. Similarly, larger shares of most key demographic groups forecast a less robust rather than a more vigorous economy in 2050.

Whites are somewhat more pessimistic than blacks or Hispanics about the future financial health of the country: 57% of whites compared with 48% of blacks and 43% of Hispanics predict a weaker economic system in xxx years.

Roughly one-half or more of every income group predict a weaker economy in the side by side 30 years. Even so, Americans in college-earning families are somewhat more likely than lower-earners to say the economy will be meliorate in 2050 than it is today. About four-in-10 adults (43%) with family incomes of $75,000 or higher say the economy will be stronger, a view shared past 35% of those earning less.

The partisan divides on views nigh the futurity of the economic system are substantial. Roughly six-in-ten Democrats (58%) predict a weaker economy in 2050, while a third say it will exist stronger. By contrast, Republicans are divided: 49% forecast a worsening economic system, but 45% expect economical conditions to ameliorate over the side by side 30 years.

Majority expects national debt to be larger in 30 yearsThe public is besides pessimistic about the future course of the national debt. About six-in-ten (63%) say the national debt – the total amount of money the federal government has borrowed – will increase, while simply sixteen% predict information technology will exist reduced or eliminated. 2-in-ten (21%) say it volition stay relatively unchanged from what it is today.

These predictions of a growing government debt are consistent with contempo history. According to the Congressional Budget Part, the federal debt held by the public is projected to achieve 78% of the U.S. gross domestic product in 2019 – up from 34% in 2000.

Similar to projections about the overall economy, about every fundamental demographic group is more probable to predict that regime debt will grow larger than to predict it volition compress. College- and middle-income adults are more probable than those with lower incomes to expect the debt to rise: 67% of Americans with family incomes of $30,000 or more say the debt will abound larger by 2050, compared with 55% of those with incomes under $30,000. Whites as well are more likely than blacks or Hispanics to say the national debt volition rise (67% vs. 54% for both blacks and Hispanics). At the same time, virtually identical shares of Republicans (64%) and Democrats (63%) forecast a growing national debt.

Among the other looming threats to the U.Southward. economy: a major worldwide free energy crisis, which two-thirds of the public say will definitely (21%) or probably (46%) occur in the next 30 years. While substantial majorities of every major demographic group predict a global power emergency, Hispanics and lower-income adults are particularly likely to see this occurring. About iii-quarters of Hispanics (76%) and adults with family incomes of less than $xxx,000 (73%) await a major energy crunch in the next 30 years. Past contrast, 64% of whites and 60% of those with household incomes of $75,000 or more share this pessimistic view.

Differences on this question between political partisans are especially big. About three-quarters (76%) of Democrats but 55% of Republicans expect a serious global free energy crisis in the next 30 years.

Public predicts growing income inequality and an expanding lower form

About three-quarters of all Americans (73%) look the gap betwixt the rich and the poor to abound over the next xxx years, a view shared by large majorities across major demographic and political groups.

Differences between some groups practice emerge, but only the size of the majorities differ and non the underlying conventionalities that income inequality will grow. Virtually iii-quarters of whites (77%) but smaller majorities of blacks (62%) and Hispanics (64%) look income inequality to increase by 2050. Similarly, about three-quarters of those who attended or graduated from college (77%) say the gap between the rich and the poor will increase, a view shared past two-thirds of those with a high school diploma or less education. Roughly equal shares of Republicans and Democrats wait income inequality to grow (71% and 75%, respectively).

Race and income linked to predictions about the sizes of the social classes in 2050

The growing rich-poor gap is not the only cloud the public sees on the economic horizon. About six-in-ten Americans (62%) say the share of people in the lower grade will increase past 2050. At the aforementioned time, but nether one-half (46%) predict that the relative size of the middle class volition shrink, while 28% say it will grow larger, and well-nigh the same share (26%) say it volition non alter.

Americans are less certain nigh future changes in the share of Americans in the upper class. The predominant expectation is that the upper course volition remain about the aforementioned relative size that it is today, a view held by 44% of the public. A larger share predicts that the proportion of Americans in the upper class will increase than say it will go smaller (33% vs. 22%).

Race and family income are closely associated with these views. Whites are significantly more likely than blacks to predict that the relative size of the lower grade will increase (66% vs. 50%) and that the middle class will shrink (50% vs. 34%). Whites are less likely than blacks to say the upper class will grow (30% vs. 43%). Hispanics' views on the hereafter of the lower class are similar to those of whites and blacks, but in their perceptions of the future relative size of the middle and upper classes, Hispanics are closer to blacks (38% say the heart class will get smaller; 39% predict the upper class volition increment).

Regardless of their income category, majorities of Americans predict that the size of the lower course will increase equally a share of the total population. Merely those closer to the peak of the income ladder are somewhat more likely to forecast a growing lower class than those who are closer to the bottom. Ii-thirds (67%) of Americans with almanac family unit incomes of $75,000 or more than say the lower class will grow, a view shared by 57% of those with incomes of $thirty,000 or less. College-earners also are more than likely than those with less family unit income to say the relative size of the heart class will compress (51% vs. 40%). At the same time, Americans with a family income of $75,000 or more are less likely than those with almanac family unit incomes nether $30,000 to look a larger share of Americans to be in the upper class in 2050 (29% vs. 41%).

Partisan differences on these questions are relatively minor. Democrats are somewhat more than likely than Republicans to say that the share of Americans in the lower class will grow (65% vs. 59%) and the middle course will shrink (50% vs. 42%). Almost a third of both parties predict that the relative size of the upper class will increment.

Divided views on the future of race relations but some hopeful signs

The public is uncertain whether the troubled state of race relations today will still exist a feature of American life in 2050. Virtually half (51%) say race relations will amend over the next 30 years, just 40% predict that they volition get worse.

Unlike the big differences that mark views of blacks and whites on many race-related questions, the racial separate on this question is narrower. A slight majority of whites (54%) predict that race relations volition improve in the next 30 years, while 39% say they will worsen. Blacks split up downwardly the middle: 43% predict better relations between the races and the aforementioned percentage predict they will be worse. Hispanics also split roughly equally, with 45% expecting improved relations and 42% saying they will get worse.

Optimism about the future of race relations is closely related to educational attainment. Six-in-ten adults with a bachelor's or college degree predict that race relations will improve. By contrast, 47% of those with less education are hopeful near the future of race relations.

Other findings suggest the public thinks barriers that have blocked some groups from leadership positions in politics may ease in the hereafter. Nearly nine-in-ten (87%) predict that a adult female will exist elected U.S. president past 2050 (30% say this will definitely happen; 56% say it probably volition). And roughly ii-thirds (65%) wait that a Hispanic person will lead the country sometime in the side by side 30 years (13% definitely; 53% probably).

Large majorities expect a woman and a Hispanic U.S. president by 2050

Expectations of a female president are broadly shared. 8-in-ten or more men and women, whites, blacks and Hispanics, and Republicans and Democrats predict in that location volition exist a woman in the White House past 2050. Roughly 2-thirds of whites (67%) and Hispanics (65%) and 55% of blacks say that a Hispanic person volition be president; Hispanics (23%) are more likely than whites (11%) or blacks (vii%) to say this will definitely happen.

Few Americans predict a college standard of living for families, older adults or children in 2050

Many are pessimistic about the future standard of living for American familiesWhen Americans predict what the economic circumstances of the average family volition be in 2050, they do so with more trepidation than hope. More than four-in-ten (44%) predict that the average family unit's standard of living will get worse over the next 30 years, roughly double the share who look that families will live meliorate in 2050 than they do today. Most a tertiary (35%) predict no real modify.

Women are somewhat more likely than men to think the average family unit's standard of living volition erode over the next 30 years. Some 47% of women are pessimistic about the economic future of families, while only xvi% are optimistic. By contrast, 42% of men expect the typical family unit'south standard of living to be worse, while a quarter say it will improve.

While comparatively few Americans predict a improve standard of living for families, minorities are somewhat more likely than whites to exist optimistic. Well-nigh a quarter of blacks (25%) and Hispanics (24%) say the average family unit's standard of living volition exist higher in 2050 than information technology is today, compared with 17% of whites. And while nearly half of all whites predict things will get worse for families, only about a third of Hispanics (35%) are every bit pessimistic.

When younger adults look ahead to 2050, they are more probable than their older counterparts to see a brighter future for America's families. About three-in-x (28%) of adults ages xviii to 29 but 19% of those age 30 and older say the average family'south standard of living will become meliorate over the next 3 decades. Still, about a tertiary (36%) of xviii- to 29-year-olds predict harder times ahead for families compared with 46% of those ages xxx and older.

Majority says older adults will have a worse standard of living in 2050 than they do todayThe public also is broadly pessimistic well-nigh the economic fortunes of older Americans during the next 30 years. A 57% bulk says adults ages 65 and older will take a worse standard of living in 2050 than today. The public is somewhat less negative about the economic prospects of children; half say children volition have a worse standard of living in xxx years than they do today, while 42% predict that their standard of living will better.

When it comes to the future economical prospects of older adults, young adults and those ages 65 and older are more upbeat than their middle-anile counterparts: 44% of those ages xviii to 29 and 40% of those 65 and older say older adults will take a ameliorate standard of living 30 years from now, compared with 31% of those ages 30 to 49 and 27% of those 50 to 64.

The public does see at to the lowest degree one bright spot alee for older Americans. Near half dozen-in-ten (59%) expect that a cure for Alzheimer's affliction will definitely or probably be found by 2050. Adults ages 65 and older are among the most optimistic about this: lxx% expect an Alzheimer'southward cure in the next 30 years. Past contrast, nigh half (53%) of those younger than age 30 predict such a breakthrough.

All the same, the public is broadly pessimistic nearly the trajectory of wellness care costs over the next xxx years. Virtually half-dozen-in-ten (58%) predict health intendance will be less affordable in 2050 than it is today, a view shared across nigh demographic groups.