A recent Nebraska Rural Poll shows increased optimism among rural Nebraskans about their current well-being and future outlook. The 2025 survey, which has tracked rural sentiment for thirty years, reports that 53% of respondents feel better off now than five years ago. This is up from 36% in 2024. Sixteen percent say they are worse off, down from 33% last year.
Expectations for the future have also improved. Poll manager Becky Vogt reports that 46% of rural Nebraskans believe they will be better off in ten years, compared to 34% last year. The percentage expecting to be worse off in a decade fell from 26% to 20%. Brad Lubben, an associate professor at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, notes that current optimism may reflect comparisons with the early COVID-19 pandemic, when uncertainty was higher.
The poll finds that optimism is more common among younger people, those with higher incomes or education, and people who have never married. This year, more rural Nebraskans report satisfaction with economic factors such as quality of life, job security, income, and the ability to build wealth. Satisfaction with building assets or wealth increased from 45% in 2024 to 55% in 2025…