Despite positive economic indicators, a recent Harris Poll reveals a significant disconnect between data and public perception. Over half of Americans believe the United States is currently in a recession, even though key economic metrics suggest otherwise.

According to the poll, 56% of respondents think the country is experiencing a recession, and 55% believe the economy is shrinking. This belief persists even though the GDP has been growing and the S&P 500 has shown significant gains. Unemployment rates are also near historic lows at under 4%​ (Money)​​.

Experts define a recession as two consecutive quarters of declining GDP. Contrary to the public sentiment, the U.S. saw a GDP growth of 3.4% in the fourth quarter of 2023 and continued positive growth into the first quarter of 2024​​.

This disparity highlights a broader issue: the economic recovery from the pandemic and subsequent global events has not been felt uniformly across the country. John Gerzema, CEO of The Harris Poll, noted that while economists report improvements, many Americans still feel the lingering effects of past economic disruptions (Newsmax)​​.