Celebrating America’s 249th….Now

In February 2025, Johnsonville and The Harris Poll surveyed over 2,000 Americans, taking the temperature on fun and togetherness. Check out where Americans actually agree on a lot these days.

Check out the reason and the data behind Johnsonville's decision to celebrate America's 249th birthday rather than wait for 2026.

Why is Johnsonville celebrating America’s 249th birthday?

Because in February, Johnsonville and The Harris Poll surveyed over 2,000 Americans to take the temperature on fun and togetherness. Survey results showed that Americans actually agree on more than one might think.

  • Americans are finding it harder to have fun: Nearly two out of three Americans (64%) agreed that they’re finding it harder to have fun with others these days.
  • Hanging out with others is on the decline: Nearly eight out of 10 Americans agreed they’re hanging out less with other people than they used to.
  • But there’s hope: Nearly nine out of 10 Americans agree that social connections are important for overall well-being and happiness.
  • And: 91% agreed that it’s easier to have fun with others when done in person…..versus connecting with them online.
  • Having fun together is critical to moving forward together. So, 91% agreed it’s important for communities to have fun together, especially when things aren’t perfect. And 91% agree that we make more progress when we have fun together.

This data told Johnsonville that it’s time to celebrate America’s 249th birthday, now, because we can’t wait for a perfect, round number to celebrate. We need fun and togetherness, now.

Happy 249th, America!

 

Methodology:

The Harris Poll, on behalf of Johnsonville, conducted an online survey among 2,087 US adults aged 18 and older. The survey was conducted from Jan 30 – February 3, 2025. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.5 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please email: kkraft@johnsonville.com.