Poll: 90% of US Says Extreme Heat Has Changed Life

At least 90% of US adults report that extreme heat has had at least some effect on their lives. That's according to a new Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research (AP-NORC) poll.

The results come as large portions of the country continue to bake under record-breaking temperatures. And scientists have confirmed that the past decade has been the hottest on record. The 90% mark is also a record for the poll, up from 83% in 2024. It surveyed 1,165 US adults between July 23-27.  

“I have to get up at 5 in the morning to walk before 6, because by 7 it’s already in the 80s,” Elisa Bracamonte told the AP. She lives in Tucson, Arizona. “You can’t stay outside without being sick unless you’re guzzling water the whole time — it’s just so, so hot,” she said. 

AP-NORC asked respondents to identify which areas of their lives are most impacted by extreme heat. More than 80% said they saw changes to their electricity bills, up from 69% in 2024. 68% reported having to adjust their outdoor activity levels. 51% noted a change in their exercise routines. And half said the heat had changed their sleeping patterns. All represented an increase from 2024’s results. 

Both temperatures and the number of people who said the heat has forced them to make changes have gone up. But people were less willing to say that climate change has played a role in recent heat waves. Two-thirds of those polled said climate change is real and a cause behind new heat records. That’s down from 73% in 2025. About 15% of respondents said they do not believe climate change is real.  

Reflect: What's one way the weather has changed something about your daily routine this year?