The gap between Gen Z men and women is widening—not just politically, but also in how they define success and envision their futures—according to a new NBC News Decision Desk poll.
For years, researchers have documented a stark ideological divide within America’s youngest generation: women lean liberal, while men skew more conservative. The new poll suggests that this ideological split is shaping views on life milestones such as marriage and children, amplifying broader social concerns about declining fertility rates and rising loneliness.
A December study from consumer research firm GWI labeled Gen Z the “loneliest generation,” finding that eight in 10 reported feeling lonely in the past year. Meanwhile, the Congressional Budget Office projects the U.S. fertility rate will average 1.6 births per woman over the next three decades—well below the replacement rate of 2.1 needed to sustain population levels without immigration.
NBC’s poll highlighted sharp differences along partisan and gender lines. When asked to rank 13 measures of personal success, young male Trump voters listed having children as their top priority. By contrast, Harris-voting Gen Z women placed it second to last. Marriage showed a similar divide: Trump-voting men ranked it fourth, while Harris-voting women ranked it 11th.
Even within partisan groups, gender gaps persisted. Trump-voting women ranked marriage and children at ninth and sixth, respectively, compared with higher rankings from their male counterparts. Among Harris voters, men placed marriage and children at ninth and 10th, slightly higher than women but still well below financial independence and fulfilling work.
Despite the divides, some consensus emerged. Both Gen Z men and women listed the same top three success markers: a fulfilling job, enough money to live the life they want, and financial independence. Still, men ranked marriage and children higher overall, while women prioritized being debt-free and spiritually grounded.
The NBC poll surveyed 2,970 adults aged 18 to 29 between August 13 and September 1, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.2 percentage points.
Whether shifting political loyalties—such as declining support for Donald Trump among young voters—will narrow the gender gap remains uncertain. For now, the poll underscores that the divide runs deeper than politics alone.
