A series of recent polls conducted in the United States indicate that the term "free market economy" enjoys higher favorability than "capitalism." According to an Echelon Insights poll, 53% of respondents expressed a "very" or "somewhat" favorable view of the "free market economy," while only 12% held an unfavorable view. In contrast, "capitalism" was viewed favorably by 49%, with unfavorable opinions totaling 29%, more than twice that of the "free market economy."

Supporting these findings, a Gallup survey reported 54% positive views of "capitalism" versus 81% for "free enterprise." Similarly, a December 2025 Napolitan News Service poll, conducted by conservative pollster Scott Rasmussen, found 64% favorable views of the "free market" compared to 53% for "capitalism." A Reason-Rupe poll from 2015 showed comparable results.

The polls also reveal that "capitalism" tends to poll poorly among younger people, whereas "free market" does not exhibit this trend. This variation is attributed to differences in question wording and the general political ignorance among many respondents, who may not have deeply considered views and can be influenced by terminology.

Interestingly, Rasmussen's poll found that 48% of those with a favorable opinion of "socialism" also viewed "capitalism" favorably, despite socialism's ideological opposition to capitalism.

The term "free market" likely resonates more positively due to its associations with freedom and choice, while "capitalism" evokes thoughts of "capital" and "capitalists," which some associate with greed and selfishness.

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