A new poll released Monday found that fewer Americans see the U.S. as an exceptional country as it approaches its 250th birthday.

The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey found that 44 percent say the U.S. is one of the greatest countries in the world, with about one-quarter of Americans saying the U.S. stands above other nations.

The poll found that Americans between 18 and 29 years old are less likely than older Americans to say that democracy is a core component of U.S. identity. Only 51 percent say they see democracy as “extremely” or “very” important to the U.S.’s identity, while 27 percent say it is “somewhat” important and 21 percent say it is “not too” or “not at all” important.

This differs from other groups of U.S. adults. Those 60 years and above overwhelmingly say democracy is “extremely” or “very” important, at 81 percent, with 66 percent of those between 45 and 59, and 61 percent of those between 30 and 44 saying the same.

Younger Americans are also the least likely to say the American Dream is still important to the U.S. identity, at 58 percent. Sixty-five percent of Americans between 30 and 44 agree, as do 77 percent of Americans between 45 and 59. Americans 60 and older overwhelmingly see the American Dream as key to the country’s identity at 79 percent.

Even still, few U.S. adults say the American Dream holds true at 34 percent, with 51 percent saying that it once held true but no longer does. Fifteen percent say it never held true.

Republicans are most likely to say the American Dream still holds true at 57 percent, compared to 17 percent of Democrats and 24 percent of independents. Most Democrats, at 64 percent, say it once held true but does not anymore. Among independents, 54 percent say the same.

Pollsters also found that only 56 percent of U.S. adults say a shared culture and set of values are “extremely” or “very” important to the country’s identity, down from previous polling in 2017, when it was 65 percent.

Fifty-one percent of adults say the ability for people from other countries to escape violence or seek economic opportunity is “extremely” or “very” important to American identity. Another 55 percent say American identity is shaped by the mixing of different cultures and values.

Just over three-quarters of Democrats agree that the mixing of different cultures and values are key features of American identity, whereas 4 in 10 Republicans say the same.

The AP-NORC survey was conducted April 16-20 and included 2,596 respondents. The margin of error is 2.6 percentage points.

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