President Barack Obama looks at students science fair projects during the White House Science Fair, in the State Dining Room of the White House, in Washington, October 18, 2010. Obama welcomed the winners of a broad range of high school science, technology and math competitions to the White House where he viewed their projects and talked to them about their work. UPI/Olivier Douliery/Pool | License Photo

PRINCETON, N.J., Dec. 20 (UPI) -- Less than a fifth of Americans say they're satisfied with the way things are going in the United States now, a Gallup poll released Monday indicated.

Seventeen percent of Americans said they were satisfied with the state of America in the latest poll, dipping below the normal 20 percent range in other years, the Princeton, N.J., polling agency said.


The country's economic malaise was listed by 30 percent of Americans as the top problem, the poll indicated. Twenty-four percent said unemployment/jobs was their top issue. Rounding out the top five concerns were dissatisfaction with the government, 13 percent; the federal deficit, 10 percent; and healthcare, 8 percent.

Gallup said the economy or unemployment has been the top problem mentioned each month since February 2008.

Results are based on national telephone interviews with 1,019 adults conducted Dec. 10-12. The margin of error is 4 percentage points.