Here Is Americans' Favorite Long-Term Investment: Survey

Beyond variations among income groups, a consistent political party difference exists in perceptions of gold’s value. Twenty-seven percent of Republicans in the survey picked gold as the best investment, compared with 7% of Democrats and 18% of independents. Last year, a trend-high 38% of Republicans named gold, while 12% of Democrats and 27% of independents did so.

In each year of the trend except 2013, Republicans have been significantly likelier than Democrats to say gold is the best investment. Since 2020, however, the gap between the two groups has widened significantly, according to the survey.

During the past five years, Republicans have also diverged from independents in views of gold, whereas between 2012 and 2019, both were about equally likely to choose gold as the best investment.

Members of nearly every key subgroup were likelier now than a year ago to say stocks are the best investment and less likely to say gold is. The major exception were respondents 55 and older, whose opinions were unchanged.

Stock Ownership Holds at Higher Level

The survey found that 62% of U.S. adults have money invested in the stock market, including individual stocks, a stock mutual fund or a retirement savings account. The figure is essentially unchanged from last year but reflects a return to stock ownership levels not seen since before the 2008 recession, when 60% or more Americans owned stock.

Stock values reached record levels earlier this year, which helps explain why more Americans this year than in 2023 think stocks should be the top choice for investors, Gallup said.

Stock ownership is highly correlated with income. Eighty-seven percent of upper-income Americans in the survey own stock, compared with 25% of lower-income investors. Sixty-five percent of middle-income Americans, those with incomes between $40,000 and $100,000, own stock.

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