Extreme weather is changing how Americans see the world

A Gallup and Walton Family Foundation survey finds 38% of Americans, a record high, say they've experienced damage from extreme weather in recent years, up 5 points from 2023. That group is 9 percentage points more likely than others to say they feel pushed by circumstances beyond their control, with a corresponding drop in those who feel able to shape their own path.

Oddly, the disaster-affected group was no more likely to want to move, rate their community's disaster readiness differently, or feel differently about the future being bright, according to Gallup senior editor Megan Brenan, who attributes this to community ties. The poll found a striking regional gap, with 58% in the Kentucky-Tennessee-Alabama-Mississippi region reporting damage compared to just 24% in the Mountain West.

Researchers caution the survey relies on self-reported perceptions and can't say when the weather events occurred or how lasting the psychological effects are. Separate research cited in the piece found disaster experience elsewhere has eroded trust in government, even for people whose friends or family were affected rather than themselves.

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