General Sentiment

Americans have been providing their insights on a wide range of topics as they navigate the reality of COVID-19 and deal with the impacts on their daily lives

June 25, 2020

How nervous are you about the coronavirus outbreak?

In early March, 72% of Americans felt calm and collected about the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak. Over the past few months, those feeling calm and collected consistently outnumbered those who reported feeling nervous or very nervous. Starting in May, we saw a gradual increase in nervousness across demographics, with those feeling very nervous (53%) surpassing those feeling calm and collected (45%) for the first time in early June.

Line graph showing the nervousness of respondents about Covid-19

Very Nervous by Generation

At the start of the outbreak, the oldest and youngest generations reported feeling the most nervous about COVID-19. While Americans over 75 are still the most nervous about the pandemic, Gen Z has gradually become the least nervous age group over time.

LIne graph showing how nervousness about Covid-19 has increased by generation

Very Nervous by Region

As the outbreak continues to spread, nervousness has increased throughout regions experiencing a high volume of cases. The highest percentage of Americans continue to feel the most nervous in the Northeast, the initial epicenter of the outbreak. With cases spiking following the loosening of stay-at-home restrictions in June, those in the Southwest and Southeast are now reporting significant increases in nervousness. Those in the Midwest are the least likely to feel very nervous at this time.

Bar graph showing how nervous Americans are by region about Covid-19

What are you most nervous about at this time?

Working class adults most anxious about COVID-19 are more concerned about the health of their families and fellow Americans than they are with their own financial situation and the US economy.

Health has remained a top concern for Americans of all ages throughout the pandemic. Across generations, Americans are most worried about the health of their families. Gen Zers and millennials are the least likely to worry about the health of the U.S. but the most likely to be concerned about their personal finances. Baby boomers and The Silent Generation are most likely to worry about their own health and the overall health of the U.S.

Bar graph showing what each generation is most nervous about during Covid-19

May 5, 2020

How nervous are you about the coronavirus outbreak?

A line chart tracking how nervous Americans are about the coronavirus outbreak from March 10 - May 3

As states begin to lift stay-at-home restrictions, more Americans are beginning to feel calm and collected or neutral about the coronavirus outbreak. Nervousness across generations is also stabilizing, though the most vulnerable populations remain the most nervous .

39

of consumers are nervous about the outbreak

36

of consumers remain calm and collected

A line graph showing how nervous different generations are about lifting stay-at-home restrictions

While nervousness across generations is on the decline, the most vulnerable populations remain the most nervous. With Gen Z set to graduate into a possible recession, nervousness around the COVID-19 outbreak peaks among the youngest and oldest Americans.

A map of the US states showing the nervousness of each state as of March 10th
A map of the US states showing the nervousness of each state as of March 20th
A map of the US states showing the nervousness of each state as of May 4th

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FAQs

How is this data collected?

‘Fluent Pulse’ reflects a daily online survey collected across Fluent’s portfolio of owned & operated websites.

Who is the audience?

Fluent attracts a massive audience across its network of owned media properties. While all segments of the US population are represented, the below are our most prevalent demographic skews:

Demographic Attribute Over Penetrated Among
Age Median: 38

61% between the age of 18 & 44

Gender 50/50 Male/Female
Education High School Degree or Some College
Homeownership 61% Renters
Households with Children 42% of Audience

How many people were surveyed?

On average, 150,000 – 175,000 consumers respond daily.

Is the data weighted?

No, but representative of the overall Fluent Audience.

How do you protect consumers data privacy?

All responses related to this survey are anonymized; only survey responses will be disclosed. At no point will consumer’s personal information will ever be disclosed.

What was your methodology?

Data has been collected from U.S. adults on a daily or weekly basis, dependent upon topic, since March 10, 2020. All data is sourced from Fluent’s portfolio of owned and operated media properties. Results are specific to the Fluent audience and not reflective of the general U.S. population.

The data presented on this site does not reflect the official opinion, policy or position of Fluent, Inc. This research is only meant to inform and illustrate, as an example, the rich data assets Fluent can derive insights from to drive in-market strategies.