Issue Brief

2024: THE PUBLIC’S PRIORITIESAND EXPECTATIONS
Foreign policy issues top the public’s agenda for 2024,
followed by economic concerns. Education, theenvironment and climate change, and health care
continue to be major concerns. Most Americans do not
expect things to get better for themselves or the country
in the upcoming year.
To explore the public’s agenda for 2024, The
Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research
conducted a poll in December 2023, in which
respondents provided up to five volunteered issues thatthey believe should be priorities for the federal
government in 2024.
With ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza and the debate
in Congress over immigration, foreign policy has risen toprominence as a major concern compared to previousyears. And after several near misses of a government
shutdown in 2023, the debt limit and government
spending has become a major priority for 2024.

© 2023 AP Photo/ Patrick Semansky.

Democrats and Republicans cite immigration, other foreign
policy issues, and inflation as a top priority, but their top issues
diverge from there. Democrats are concerned about climatechange and the environment, education, and health carereform, while Republicans put the economy in general, andgovernment debt in their top five.
While the public has a wide-ranging agenda for the federal
government, they are not confident that it will be able toaddress these concerns. Seventy-one percent have little
confidence in the ability of the federal government to makeprogress on important issues facing the country in 2024,
including 40% who are not confident at all.

© Copyright 2024. The Associated Press and NORC

Three Things You Should Know
About The AP-NORC Poll on the Public’sPriorities and Expectations
Among Americans Age 18 and Older:
1) Immigration is a top issue for 35%—

including 55% of Republicans and 22% ofDemocrats.
2) Inflation is a top concern for 30% overall,

41% among Republicans, and 24% among
Democrats.
3) 36% of Democrats prioritize climatechange and the environment along with
only 8% of Republicans

January 2024 | 1

2024: THE PUBLIC’S PRIORITIES AND EXPECTATIONSThe nationwide poll was conducted November 30-December 4, 2023, using the AmeriSpeak Panel®, theprobability-based panel of NORC at the University of Chicago. Online and telephone interviews using landlines andcell phones were conducted with 1, 074 adults. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 4.0 percentage
points.
Findings from the poll include:■

The public most wants the government to deal with foreign policy with 60% naming issues regarding foreign
policy, up from 41% in December 2022. Specifically, 35% cite immigration and the border wall as a top
concern, an increase from 27% last year. Other foreign policy issues are mentioned by 38%, up from 18% lastyear.

■

Domestic issues continue to be cited frequently as well. Economic issues are of particular concern, especiallyinflation with 30% mentioning it as a top priority.

■

Only 19% expect 2024 to be better than last year for the nation. Fifty-one percent think 2024 will look much
like 2023, and 29% anticipate a worse year. Members of the public are slightly more positive about their own
personal prospects for the coming year. Twenty-five percent are looking forward to a better year, and 24%
think they will have a worse year in 2024. Fifty percent expect things in their life to stay pretty much the same.

FOREIGN POLICIES ARE TOP PRIORITIES FOR 2024
Members of the public were asked which problems facing the United States and the world today they would likethe government to work on in 2024. In the wake of the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine and the debate overimmigration, the public is putting a higher priority on foreign policy issues this year. Overall, 60% mention foreign
policy issues, up from 41% in December 2022.
Overall, 35% cite immigration and the border wall as a top concern, up from 27% in December 2022. Thirty-eightpercent mention other foreign policy issues, up from 18% last year.
Looking at specific domestic policies, economic issues are the public’s top priority. The biggest concern is inflation
with 30% mentioning it as a top priority and 24% saying the economy in general.
Twenty-two percent name education or student debt and 21% say the environment or climate change should be agovernment priority.
After a year with multiple close calls for a government shutdown, the debt limit and public spending is a priority
for 13%, more than twice as many as mentioned it last year.
Thirteen percent name abortion, women’s rights, or women’s health as a government priority, down slightly from
16% in December 2022. In an AP-NORC Center survey conducted in June 2022 just after the leaked release of thedraft opinion that suggested the Supreme Court would eliminate the constitutional right to an abortion, nearly
twice as many (23%) mentioned abortion or women’s rights.

© Copyright 2024. The Associated Press and NORC

January 2024 | 2

2024: THE PUBLIC’S PRIORITIES AND EXPECTATIONS

Foreign policy issues top the public's agenda for 2024.
Percent of adults
December 2023

December 2022

Foreign policy
issues other than
immigration

38

1821

Immigration

27

Inflation

35
32

30
30

14

Economy(general mentions)24

Education/
student debt

22
19
19

Environment/
climate change

21
21

Health care reform

17
17
18

Poverty/hunger/
homelessness

16
14
120

December 2021

25

31
29

26

50

75

100 %

Question: Thinking about the problems facing the United States and the world today, which
problems would you like the government to be working on in the year 2024? Please list up to fiveproblems. (Percentages above among those who provided at least one problem. Problems
named by at least 15% in December 2023 are shown above).
Source: AP-NORC polls, the latest conducted November 30-December 4, 2023, with 1,074 adults
nationwide.

APNORC.org© Copyright 2024. The Associated Press and NORC

January 2024 | 3

2024: THE PUBLIC’S PRIORITIES AND EXPECTATIONS

Immigration makes it into everybody’s top five, showing up as the most important issue for Republicans. Otherforeign policy issues are the top priority area for independents and is included as a priority for Democrats andRepublicans.
As in December 2022, economic issues are top priorities, regardless of party identification. Specifically, inflation isin the top five for Democrats, Republicans, and independents. The economy in general is one of the top priorities
for both Republicans and independents,
The environment and climate change remains the top priority concern for Democrats. Concern about healthcare
reform has remained steady overall and is among the top concerns for Democrats and independents.
As Congress has been working to avoid a government shutdown, government spending, debt, and the deficit is a
top issue for Republicans, mentioned by 22%, more than twice as many as in December 2022. Less than 10% ofDemocrats or independents express concern about these government spending issues.

Democrats' top issues
Percent of Democrats
December 2023

36

Environment/
climate change
Foreign policy
issues other thanimmigration

32

Immigration

Health care reform

December 2021

4034

16
1325
25
24

Education/
student debt
Inflation

December 2022

22101426

222022222302550
75
100 %Question: Thinking about the problems facing the United States and the world today, which
problems would you like the government to be working on in the year 2024?
Source: AP-NORC polls, the latest conducted November 30-December 4, 2023, with 1,074 adults
nationwide.

APNORC.org© Copyright 2024. The Associated Press and NORC

January 2024 | 42024: THE PUBLIC’S PRIORITIES AND EXPECTATIONS

Independents' top issues
Percent of independents

December 2023

December 2022

December 2021

34

Foreign policy issues
not including
immigration

15
20
30

Inflation

27
1427

Economy (generalmentions)

26
34
26

Immigration

2124
19

Education/studentloans

1519025

50

75

100 %

Question: Thinking about the problems facing the United States and the world today, which
problems would you like the government to be working on in the year 2024?
Source: AP-NORC polls, the latest conducted November 30-December 4, 2023, with 1,074 adults
nationwide.
APNORC.org© Copyright 2024. The Associated Press and NORC

January 2024 | 5

2024: THE PUBLIC’S PRIORITIES AND EXPECTATIONS

Republicans' top issues
Percent of Republicans
December 2023

December 2022

December 2021

55Immigration

4551
46

Foreign policy issuesnot including
immigration

232941

Inflation

37
1832

Economy (generalmentions)

35
34
22

Debt/deficit/governm
ent spending

1012025

50

75

100 %

Question: Thinking about the problems facing the United States and the world today, which
problems would you like the government to be working on in the year 2024?
Source: AP-NORC polls, the latest conducted November 30-December 4, 2023, with 1,074 adults
nationwide.

APNORC.org
Confidence in the ability of the federal government to address policy concerns is low, regardless of party
identification. Sixty-five percent of Democrats and 83% of Republicans are slightly or not at all confident in thefederal government’s ability to make progress in 2024 on the issues they care about. Overall, only 5% have muchconfidence, 23% are moderately confident, and 71% have little or no confidence in the government’s ability toaddress the country’s problems.

© Copyright 2024. The Associated Press and NORC

January 2024 | 6

2024: THE PUBLIC’S PRIORITIES AND EXPECTATIONSDEMOCRATS ARE MORE OPTIMISTIC THAN REPUBLICANS ABOUT 2024
Overall, members of the public are about equally likely to think their lives will improve in 2024 as get worse.
Twenty-five percent expect 2024 will be a better year than 2023, and 24% think it will be a worse year. Half think it
will be about the same. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to think that their life will get better in thenext year.

Democrats are more optimistic than Republicans that their lives will
get better in 2024.
Percent of adults
BetterNo difference

Worse

100 %
2023-2024

2022-2023

2021-2022

7550

50

48
3755

52

38

3750

47 47

3427
2125
1312151150Republicans

Democrats

Republicans

Democrats

Republicans

Democrats

Question: Looking ahead to 2024, which of the following comes closest to your opinion? For you
personally:
Source: AP-NORC polls, the latest conducted November 30-December 4, 2023, with 1,074 adults
nationwide.

APNORC.org
People are slightly more pessimistic about what will happen in the United States in 2024. Nineteen percent think
2024 will be a better year than 2023, and 29% say it will be worse.
Democrats are more hopeful about the outlook for the country in the next year than Republicans. Twenty-ninepercent of Democrats believe the country will improve in 2024, and 41% of Republicans think the country will getworse.

© Copyright 2024. The Associated Press and NORC

January 2024 | 7

2024: THE PUBLIC’S PRIORITIES AND EXPECTATIONSDemocrats are also more optimistic than Republicans about thecoming year for the country.
Percent of adults
Better

100 %No difference2023-2024

Worse2022-2023

2021-2022

75

50

48

50

55

50

4125

37

34

2950

47
38

28
20
13

916

14

100Republicans

Democrats

Republicans

Democrats

Republicans

Democrats

Question: Looking ahead to 2024, which of the following comes closest to your opinion? For theUnited States:
Source: AP-NORC polls, the latest conducted November 30-December 4, 2023, with 1,074 adults
nationwide.

APNORC.org© Copyright 2024. The Associated Press and NORC

January 2024 | 8

2024: THE PUBLIC’S PRIORITIES AND EXPECTATIONSSTUDY METHODOLOGYInterviews for this survey were conducted between November 30 to December 4, 2023 with adults aged 18 andover representing the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Panel members were randomly drawn fromAmeriSpeak, and 1,074 completed the survey—1,017 via the web and 57 by telephone. Panel members wereinvited by email or by phone from an NORC telephone interviewer. Interviews were conducted in both English andSpanish, depending on respondent preference. Respondents were offered a small monetary incentive forcompleting the survey. The final stage completion rate is 14.3 percent, the weighted household panel response
rate is 21.5 percent, and the weighted household panel retention rate is 78.9 percent, for a cumulative response
rate of 2.4 percent.
The overall margin of sampling error is +/- 4.0 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level, including thedesign effect. The margin of sampling error may be higher for subgroups. For example, the margin of sampling
error is +/- 6.0 percentage points for Democrats and +/- 6.4 percentage points for Republicans.
Sampling error is only one of many potential sources of error and there may be other unmeasured error in this or
any other survey.
Quality assurance checks were conducted to ensure data quality. In total, 48 interviews were removed for
nonresponse to at least 50% of the questions asked of them, for completing the survey in less than one-third the
median interview time for the full sample, or for straight-lining all grid questions asked of them. These interviews
were excluded from the data file prior to weighting.
Once the sample has been selected and fielded, and all the study data have been collected and made final, apoststratification process is used to adjust for any survey nonresponse as well as any noncoverage or under andoversampling resulting from the study specific sample design.
Poststratification variables included age, gender, census division, race/ethnicity, and education. Weightingvariables were obtained from the 2023 Current Population Survey. The weighted data reflect the U.S. populationof adults age 18 and over. The sample is also weighted to match the average of self-identified party identificationin the previous two waves of the AmeriSpeak Omnibus survey and this current survey.
For the open-ended question PROB1, responses were classified using Canvs AI, an online platform that codes
open-ended data. These codes were validated by a human coder and were then collapsed into more generalcategories based on topic for reporting.
Complete questions and results are available at: www.apnorc.org
Additional information on the AmeriSpeak Panel® methodology is available at: https://amerispeak.norc.org/aboutamerispeak/Pages/Panel-Design.aspx.
For more information, email info@apnorc.org.

© Copyright 2024. The Associated Press and NORC

January 2024 | 9

2024: THE PUBLIC’S PRIORITIES AND EXPECTATIONSCONTRIBUTING RESEARCHERS
From NORC at the University of Chicago

From The Associated Press

Marjorie Connelly
Jordan Hinkle
Angela Eichhorst
Betsy Broaddus
Jennifer Benz
Trevor Tompson

Emily Swanson
Linley Sanders

ABOUT THE ASSOCIATED PRESS-NORC CENTER FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS RESEARCH
The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research taps into the power of social science research andthe highest-quality journalism to bring key information to people across the nation and throughout the world.
The Associated Press (AP) is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essentialprovider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP
journalism every day. www.ap.org
NORC at the University of Chicago is one of the oldest objective and nonpartisan research institutions in the world.
www.norc.org
The two organizations have established The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research to conduct,analyze, and distribute social science research in the public interest on newsworthy topics and to use the power ofjournalism to tell the stories that research reveals.
The AP-NORC Center has conducted more than 250 studies exploring the critical issues facing the public, covering
topics like health care, the economy, COVID-19, trust in media, and more. Learn more at www.apnorc.org.

© Copyright 2024. The Associated Press and NORC

January 2024 | 10