This is a widely debated question — I'll gather the latest polling and economic data to assess how Americans' lives are changing.
Whether Donald Trump's second term (began January 20, 2025) has improved Americans' lives depends on which indicators and which groups of Americans are measured. Polling and economic data through late 2026 show a mixed and polarized picture:
1. Public Opinion Is Mostly Negative on the Economy, More Positive on Border Security
Recent national polls show low approval for Trump's handling of living costs and the economy, with border security as his relatively strongest issue:
•An AP-NORC poll conducted Sept. 24-28, 2026 found only 17% of U.S. adults approve of Trump's handling of the cost of living, and just 26% approve of his handling of the economy overall, marking a new low.
•A majority, 65%, of U.S. adults now blame Trump's policies for persistently high costs more than factors outside of his control.
•The poll also found about 7 in 10 Americans say Trump's handling of the cost of living has been "worse than expected", and about 6 in 10 say the country as a whole is "much" or "somewhat" worse off than when he began his second term.
•Trump's overall job approval in various September 2026 polls ranged from the low 30s to around 39%, with one poll putting it at 29%.
On other issues, his ratings are higher:
•A Marquette Law School national survey found his highest approval rating, 49%, for his handling of border security, and 43% approval on immigration, with each of the other six issues measured below 35%.
•Other September 2026 polling similarly found his approval highest on immigration (48%) and fighting crime (47%), and lowest on handling inflation (34%) and the economy (37%).
Polls also show declining economic optimism. YouGov noted the shares of Independents and Republicans who expect financial improvement in a year have fallen since the start of Trump's second term, with one report noting only 18 percent say their personal finances are "better off" than a year ago while 35 percent say "worse off".
2. Economic Data: Nominal Gains, But Inflation Has Eroded Them
Analysts note it is difficult to attribute all economic changes directly to presidential policies, as the Federal Reserve, global markets, Congress and other forces also affect prices, wages and markets. Data from the first 19 months of the second term show:
Wages and Jobs:
•Average hourly earnings for production and nonsupervisory workers increased from $30.84 in January 2025 to $32.53 in August 2026 - roughly 5.5 percent.
•However, other analyses found no gain in inflation-adjusted hourly wages, with the inflation-adjusted average hourly wage at $9.93 in December 2024 and $9.94 in August 2026, and the New York Times reported in August 2026 that for the fourth month in a row consumer prices outpaced workers' earnings, meaning real wages declined.
•Unemployment was 4.0 percent in January 2025 versus 4.1 percent in August 2026, relatively stable.
•Employers added 162,000 jobs in August 2026, though 2025 overall saw just 181,000 jobs added for the year, the lowest annual total outside of a recession according to one analysis.
Inflation and Costs:
•Consumer prices were 3.4 percent higher in July 2026 than a year earlier. Other reports put year-over-year inflation at 3.3% in March 2026 and core PCE inflation at 3.0% in Q2 2026, above the Federal Reserve's 2% target.
•Energy prices increased 14.7 percent over the past year, including a 24.6 percent increase in gasoline, and food increased 3 percent, shelter 3.2 percent.
•Mortgage rates averaged 6.71 percent in early September 2026 — slightly lower than around inauguration but still historically expensive.
Growth and Markets:
•Q2 2026 GDP was revised upward to 2.2% annualized. Overall the economy has grown at 2.4% annualized so far in 2026, below the 3.0% rate in 2024 before Trump took office.
•The S&P 500 has gained more than 11 percent so far in 2026, and generated a total return of 17.9% in 2025. Gallup estimates about six in ten Americans own stocks, but ownership and holdings vary greatly by income — only about 34% of families in the bottom half of the income distribution own stocks compared to 95% among the highest-income 10%.
3. Policy Changes Cited by Supporters and Critics
Supporters point to legislative and policy actions in 2025-2026:
•In July 2025, Congress passed Trump's signature domestic legislation — the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — that made Trump's 2017 tax cuts permanent, created tax breaks on tips, overtime and Social Security income, and added border and defense funding. The administration describes it as the largest tax cut and border security investment.
•The law provided $46.5 billion to complete construction of the border wall, and supporters cite added CBP hiring and zero releases at the border for months.
•The administration also cites deregulation, energy production, and tariff revenue — $287 billion collected in tariffs reported by one supportive outlet.
Critics argue:
•Tariffs raised the effective U.S. import tax rate from roughly 2% to nearly 12% and added structural upward pressure on prices, with 64% of Americans saying Trump has "gone too far" on tariffs.
•Immigration restrictions and other policies tightened labor supply in some sectors, contributing to a shrinking labor force in states like Michigan, where the labor force declined by 143,000 people between July 2025 and July 2026.
•Concern about war with Iran: 69% said the war has not been worth fighting and only 28% approve of handling of Iran.
Summary
There is no single measure of whether lives are improving:
•Americans who rely mainly on wages and face high costs for gas, groceries, housing and healthcare have generally reported more financial pressure, with real wages flat and consumer prices continuing to rise.
•Americans with significant investments, homeowners with low fixed-rate mortgages, and those prioritizing border security and tax cuts have seen gains in asset values and policy priorities they support.
Polling through September 2026 shows most Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy and cost of living, while a larger share approves of his handling of border security. Economic data show nominal wage and stock market gains offset in large part by persistent inflation and high energy and housing costs.