Political identity in the U.S. is changing, and the divide is increasingly generational.
Younger Americans are stepping away from traditional party labels, while older generations remain more closely tied to the two-party system.
This visualization, via Visual Capitalist’s Niccolo Conte, shows how political affiliation varies across generations, highlighting the growing role of independents in American politics.
The data comes from Gallup. It is based on annual averages from Gallup’s telephone interviews, asking respondents whether they identify as Republican, Democrat, or independent. “No opinion” responses are excluded, and figures may not total 100% due to rounding.
Younger Generations Favor Being Independents
A majority of both Generation Z and Millennials identify as independents. Among Gen Z, 56% say they are independent, compared with just 17% identifying as Republican and 27% as Democrat. Millennials show a similar pattern, with 54% identifying as independent.
