US adults feel growing impact of extreme heat, poll shows

A July 2025 poll of 1,165 U.S. adults conducted by the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that extreme heat is increasingly affecting daily life. Thirty percent said heat had a “major impact” on outdoor activities, up from 21% a year earlier, and 15% reported major impacts on travel and vacation plans, double the previous figure. Respondents also noted higher electricity bills, disrupted sleep, and altered exercise routines.

The survey showed regional variation, with residents of the West and Midwest reporting the strongest effects. Democrats were more likely than Republicans to describe heat as having a major impact. One 74‑year‑old retired nurse from Tucson, Elisa Bracamonte, said she now wakes at 5 a.m. to walk before the heat intensifies, adding that “you can’t stay outside without being sick unless you’re guzzling water the whole time.” The poll also noted a slight decline in belief that climate change is happening, with 66% affirming it compared with 73% in a prior survey.