Keri Yousif January 24th, 2026

A recent Gallup poll showed that Americans ended the year 2025 with low approval ratings for politicians, specifically members of Congress. In addition, a majority of those surveyed were “dissatisfied with the way things are going in the United States at this time.” The poll also found negative attitudes toward the economy, with an increase in those ranking economic conditions as“poor” and “getting worse.”

The poll made me wonder what Vigo County residents think. As the new year gets underway, what is on people’s minds? I spent a few hours at Walmart East on Indiana State Road 46, asking customers and employees how they feel, both about 2025 and the new year.*

A young shopper described 2025 as “up and down”: “It was unpredictable, there was some cool stuff and some crazy stuff.” Despite what the shopper described as “chaos” at the national level, they are optimistic about the new year at the local level. “I feel like Terre Haute has potential to boom; I’ve seen a lot of businesses, interests in Terre Haute, a lot of artistic growth.” The shopper mentioned local performances and “jam sessions” as examples of artistic growth.

A woman in her 60s told me 2025 was “different.” She didn’t elaborate, but I interpreted her “different” as shorthand for having plenty to say, most of it negative, but she was too polite to do so. She smiled at me before walking away: “I’m not sure what’s going to happen in 2026, but I’m looking forward to it.”

These were my first two conversations, and they summarize the rest of the interviews. The majority of the people I spoke to felt that 2025 had been a year of “tests and tasks,” as one employee in her 20s stated. Another respondent told me they were “glad to see it [2025] go.”

Opinions about the new year varied. Several people cited health issues and the cost of living as key concerns of 2026. A father, shopping with his wife and teenage daughter, told me “I thought 2025 couldn’t get any worse, but prices just keep going up.” While I was at the store, I noted a few current prices: $8.97 for a box of 8 mini, protein donuts; 2.5-ounce tubes of toothpaste on sale for $1.00; assorted, generic basketballs at $9.97/ball; and red and white heart wreaths (in the Valentine’s Day aisle) on sale for $8.76. 

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index for December 2025 supports residents’ concerns over prices. According to the December 2025 report, the food index increased by 3.1 percent over the last year, and other items (excluding food and energy), such as vehicles, housing, apparel, and insurance, rose by 2.6 percent during the same time. 

While the 3.1 and 2.6 percent increases are relatively low, customers are still feeling the big price hikes from 2022. One employee in her 60s, however, told me she was hopeful for lower prices in 2026: “Gas prices are going down; I’m hoping everything else will too.”

Despite worries about the cost of living, the majority of respondents expressed positive outlooks for the new year. One woman in her 50s mentioned upcoming travel plans, and an employee in his 20s named the 2026 mid-term elections as bright spots on the horizon. More striking is residents’ overwhelming optimism for Terre Haute and Vigo County.

 A Vigo County School Corporation teacher told me she is hopeful for the community, citing planned updates to Deming Park, possible renovations at the Terre Haute Children’s Museum, and the creation of the Vigo County Oversight Board, which will work with the school corporation and the county in school facility planning, funding, and implementation. Other shoppers echoed her optimism, listing local schools, businesses, parks, and the arts as sparks of hope for 2026. As one shopper in her 30s told me, “I’m very hopeful for our community.”

*A note about the interviews: This is just a small snapshot of Vigo County residents, a few hours at Walmart East in January. In fact, it was much harder than I expected. Many people declined, and the majority were hesitant to talk. I started out asking for first names and age, and then just moved to simply talking to people and taking notes. I ended up with about 25 conversations. My appreciation to all those who took a few minutes to share their thoughts.