Poll suggests US adults are facing increased strain from extreme heat

A new poll of adults in the United States has revealed that more are feeling a personal impact from extreme heat, but a smaller number believe in climate change.

The poll, released by The Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research on Thursday, was the result of a survey of 1,165 Americans in late July.

According to the survey, 66 percent of Americans believe climate change is happening, a slight decline from the 73 percent who expressed a similar sentiment in September 2025.

About 17 percent said they are not sure if climate change is happening, while 15 percent indicated it is not happening at all.

By contrast, more US adults in this survey were likely to say that extreme heat has either had a “major impact” or “minor impact” on their everyday activities, as opposed to none at all.

Thirty percent of this year’s survey participants, for instance, said extreme heat exerted a “major impact” on their outdoor activities, compared to 21 percent in July 2024.

The number of respondents who said their vacation and travel plans experienced a “major impact” from the heat also jumped from eight to 15 percent.

Exercise routines, sleep patterns and commutes were also identified as aspects of daily life increasingly affected by rising temperatures.