Thirty-eight percent of Americans are satisfied with the way things are going in the United States today, similar to last month's 37% satisfaction rate but marking the numerical high since a 39% reading in September 2005.Not surprisingly, Republicans are more ebullient about the direction of the country compared to Democrats. But it is striking that the largest increase in satisfaction occurred in rural America compared to big cities and small towns.
The satisfaction rate, which Gallup has measured at least monthly since 2001, has now topped 35% three times this year ‐ a level reached only three times in the previous 12 years (once each in 2006, 2009 and 2016).
Satisfaction with the nation is now back to the historical average of 37% for this trend, which was first measured in 1979, but is far below the majority levels reached in the economic boom times of the mid-1980s and late 1990s.
Much has been written in recent months about rural America's disappointment with Trump. These numbers seem to belie that reporting.