A new Gallup survey showed that fewer than 1 in 4 Americans view the federal government positively from an employment standpoint.
According to the poll, 23% of U.S. adults said they see the federal government “very” or “somewhat” positively, while 16% held a neutral view and 61% expressed a “somewhat” or “very” negative perception.
The survey placed the federal government at the bottom of a ranking of 25 industries and sectors, replacing the pharmaceutical industry, which had held the lowest rating in the previous two years.
In contrast, farming and agriculture were rated most positively, with 60% of respondents expressing at least a somewhat positive view. The computer industry followed closely, with 59% positive, and the restaurant industry had a 52% positive rating.
Overall, the average positive rating across all sectors was 38%, slightly higher than the 37% recorded in last year’s poll. This marks a continued trend of public skepticism toward many industries, as the average has remained below 40% for the past five years.
The survey also noted that the movie, television, and radio industries recorded their lowest ratings in recent history.
The Federal Reserve reported total current nonfarm employment in the U.S. at approximately 159 million, putting the federal workforce at about 3% of the total.
The poll was conducted Aug. 1-20 among 1,094 adults. The margin of error was 4%.
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