A poll asked Americans to rate 2025 on a scale of 1 to 10, and the final verdict is about as enthusiastic as a shrug.
The average score for 2025 came in at 5.3 out of 10, which is not terrible, but it is also not something you brag about. It is the rating equivalent of saying, “Yeah, it was… fine.”
In fact, “5” was not just the average, it was the most common response. 20% of people gave 2025 a straight-up 5, the ultimate sign of emotional neutrality. On the extremes, 6% felt bold enough to give the year a perfect 10, while 9% slammed it with a 1. Those people definitely had a year.
Different generations viewed 2025 slightly differently, but no one was exactly thrilled. Gen X was the least impressed, giving the year an average score of 5.1. Millennials landed right at the overall average with a 5.3. Gen Z and Boomers were the most generous, both handing out a 5.4, which is still not exactly fireworks.
What makes this more noticeable is that 2025 took a dip compared to 2024, which scored a slightly healthier 6.1 out of 10. Apparently, whatever optimism we were riding did not quite make it through.
That said, zooming out tells a more hopeful story on a personal level. 69% of people said they felt they developed in some way over the past 12 months. The biggest gains were in personal life improvements, at 59%, followed by mental or emotional growth at 49%.
There was also a solid amount of spiritual growth, with 45% saying they felt stronger in that area, and 33% reporting intellectual growth. So while the year itself was underwhelming, a lot of people were quietly leveling up behind the scenes.
Generational differences really show up here. Gen Z leads the pack, with 75% saying they grew as a person in 2025. Boomers were lowest at 59%, which is still respectable considering they have been doing personal growth since before Gen Z existed.
Gen Z was most likely to say they developed emotionally and intellectually, while Boomers were more likely to feel spiritual growth and improvements in physical health and fitness. Millennials claimed the crown for professional, creative, and artistic development, which tracks for a generation always trying to optimize itself.
And then there is Gen X. According to the poll, they did not particularly excel in any category. Not emotionally, not professionally, not spiritually. Just quietly surviving, as usual.