AP New Year's poll: Americans hopeful for a better 2017

December 26, 2016 at 12:08 p.m. | Updated December 26, 2016 at 12:15 p.m.

by Associated Press

FILE - In this Sept. 22, 2016 file photo, police confront protesters blocking Interstate-277 during demonstrations following the police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott, in Charlotte, N.C. Emotionally wrenching politics, foreign conflicts and shootings at home took a toll on Americans in 2016, but they are entering 2017 on an optimistic note, according to a new poll that found that a majority believes things are going to get better for the country next year. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)
FILE - In this Sept. 22, 2016 file photo, police confront protesters blocking Interstate-277 during demonstrations following the police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott, in Charlotte, N.C. Emotionally wrenching politics, foreign conflicts and shootings at home took a toll on Americans in 2016, but they are entering 2017 on an optimistic note, according to a new poll that found that a majority believes things are going to get better for the country next year. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)

NEW YORK (AP) - A poll finds that Americans are hopeful that things are going to get better for the country in 2017 after a year filled with wrenching politics, foreign conflicts and mass shootings.

The annual New Year's poll by The Associated Press and the Times Square Alliance found that 55 percent of Americans polled believe 2017 will be better for them personally.

That's a 12-point improvement from last year's poll.

About a third of people answering the poll said things were worse for the country in 2016 than they had been in 2015.

Only 18 percent said things got better.

The poll of 1,007 adults was conducted online Dec. 9-11, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

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