About 3 in 10 U.S. adults plan to make a New Year's resolution or set a goal for 2026, according to a new YouGov poll, with exercise and personal well-being topping the list as Americans head into the new year.
The most commonly cited resolution for 2026 was "exercising more," with 25% of respondents choosing it from a list of 25 options.
Other popular goals included "being happy" at 23%, "eating healthier" at 22%, "saving more money" at 21%, and "improving physical health" at 21%.
This year, younger adults under 45 were more likely to adopt a range of resolutions than older Americans.
The survey broke age groups into the following: 18- to 29-year-olds, 30- to 44-year-olds, 45- to 64-year-olds, and 65 and older.
Women were more likely than men to say their resolution included losing weight (21% versus 13%) and being happy (26% versus 20%).
Among those planning resolutions, 39% said it was "very likely" they would keep their commitments throughout 2026, and 50% said it was "somewhat likely."
Only 7% said it was "not very" or "not at all" likely they would stick with their goals.
One-third of all Americans said they think making New Year's resolutions generally makes the upcoming year better for individuals.
Among people who do not plan to set resolutions, only 14% shared that view.
The poll also captured public sentiment about the past year and the year ahead.
Americans were more likely to say 2025 was a good or great year for them personally than for the country, and Republicans were significantly more likely than Democrats to view both their personal year and the country's year favorably.
About half of all respondents predicted 2026 would be a good or great year for them personally, but fewer said the same about the country as a whole.
Republicans were more optimistic about the country's prospects than Democrats.
The survey was conducted Dec. 9-11 among 1,104 U.S. adults, weighted to reflect demographic benchmarks, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 points.
Saving more money was last year's most popular resolution, with 26% of Americans saying they hoped to do so in 2025, followed by 22% who planned to exercise more.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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