Gen Z reports lowest levels of interpersonal trust

A study by political scientist Ryan Burge at Washington University reveals that Gen Z has the lowest levels of interpersonal trust among all surveyed generations. According to data from the General Social Survey between 2021 and 2024, only 13% of Gen Z individuals believe that most people can be trusted, while 74% believe “you can’t be too careful.”

This represents a significant decline for Gen Z; in 2018, over 20% believed most people were trustworthy. The data indicates a sharp drop in trust occurred during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. In comparison, Millennials reported a 24% trust rate, while Gen X and Baby Boomers reported rates of 30% and 29%, respectively. The Silent Generation remains the most trusting, with 41% expressing belief in the trustworthiness of most people.

The study also highlights an educational divide. Across all generations, individuals with a college education were more likely to trust others than those with a high school diploma or less. Among Gen Z, 67% of those with a four-year degree or more expressed mistrust, compared to 80% of those without a degree.