We Feel So Divided, Yet We Seek Many of the Same Things
Mercury Analytics national study finds Americans are more aligned than divided on many life priorities.
Washington DC, June 15, 2026 — In a time when Americans are often described as deeply divided, new national research from Mercury Analytics reveals a more hopeful truth: on the issues that shape everyday life — financial security, health, happiness, family, and fulfillment — Americans are strikingly aligned in terms of what they want.
Mercury Analytics released the results of a national omnibus survey of 1,000 U.S. adults. The study asked Americans what they would tell their 18-year-old selves, whether their best years are ahead of them, how they define success, and what one thing they would improve in their lives today.
The findings show that, beneath the noise of polarization, Americans share many of the same hopes, regrets, and aspirations.
Among the key findings:
Financial security is America’s clearest shared concern
Nearly half of Americans, 47.5%, said the top advice they would give their 18-year-old selves is to save and invest money earlier. Financial security also emerged as the leading thing people would improve in their lives today, selected by 34.9% of respondents.
That concern cut across party lines. Financial security was selected by 35.2% of Republicans, 35.3% of Democrats, and 33.5% of Independents as the one thing they would fix if they could.
Health and well-being are universal priorities
The second most common piece of advice Americans would give their younger selves was to take better care of their physical and mental health, selected by 43.2% of respondents.
Americans define success by fulfillment, not status
When asked what success means, Americans were most likely to choose personal happiness and fulfillment, at 28.5%. Making a positive difference followed at 17.5%, while traditional markers such as financial security and career achievement ranked lower.
Optimism is still alive
Despite uncertainty and division, 61.1% of Americans said their best years are either ahead of them or happening now. Optimism was nearly identical across political groups: 63.5% of Republicans, 60.7% of Democrats, and 61.4% of Independents said their best years are not simply behind them.
Life stage matters more than political identity
Across key life questions, party gaps remained small. In many cases, age and life stage explained more about how Americans think about money, health, optimism, and regret than political affiliation did.
“This study reminds us that Americans are not as divided as the headlines make us feel,” said Ron Howard, CEO of Mercury Analytics. “When we ask people about the things that truly matter — their families, their health, their financial security, their happiness, their future — we see a remarkable amount of common ground.”
To learn more about the findings, please view the MercuryAI Executive Brief.
About the Study
The findings are based on a nationally representative survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted by Mercury Analytics on June 11. The study used Mercury’s Qual at Scale methodology, combining traditional quantitative questions with deep qualitative IDI like probing of all participants, providing statistically robust insight into both the quantitative data and the qualitative perspectives of a national sample
About Mercury Analytics
Mercury Analytics develops and delivers industry-leading research technology designed to help organizations uncover deep, actionable insights with speed and precision. Combining a veteran team of researchers and in-house developers, Mercury provides clients with a unique blend of methodological expertise and advanced analytics tools, including its flagship platform, the Mercury Analytics Workbench. From open-ends to full-scale mixed-method studies, Mercury supports a wide range of research needs across industries. The company is known for its hands-on partnership model, high standards of service, and ability to scale solutions without compromising quality. With a strong focus on automation, accuracy, and client experience, Mercury is committed to making high-quality research more accessible, efficient, and impactful.