AUSTIN (KXAN/NBC News) — The latest national NBC News poll reveals a majority of Americans currently disapprove of President Joe Biden’s job performance just nine months into his presidency.

The poll shows that 42% of adults say they approve of Biden’s overall job as president — a decline of seven points since August. This is compared to 54% who say they disapprove of the president’s job, which is up six points since August. 

Fifty percent of Americans give Biden low marks for overall competence and uniting the country, while 60% also view Biden’s stewardship on the economy negatively. 

In comparison to August, the president is seven points down, with only 40% of Americans approving of the way he has handled the economy, and 51% approving of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

The survey finds seven in 10 adults, including almost half of Democrats, believe the nation is headed in the wrong direction. 

When asked about the country’s future, only 41% of respondents in the poll say America’s best years are ahead, while 53% say the opposite. 

Biden’s low standing has also affected his party: Democrats are now behind Republicans on matters like handling the economy, inflation and immigration. They have also lost ground on issues like education and coronavirus. 

Biden’s approval rating in this poll is lower than any other modern first-year president’s at a similar point in time according to Gallup’s historical data, with the exception of Donald Trump (whose approval averaged 37% in fall 2017). 

It has been a tough year so far for the first-year president, with a surge in coronavirus cases and deaths, fallout from the U.S withdrawal from Afghanistan, rising inflation, and disappointing job numbers. 

Despite pessimism, the survey does show signs of optimism when it came to coronavirus and the economy.

Fifty-six percent of respondents believe the worst has passed when it comes to the pandemic. This number has increased by 18 points since August, when the delta variant was spreading across the country.

In terms of the economy, 30% of Americans say they are getting ahead in their finances, while 45% say they are stagnant. This is compared with 24% who say they are slipping or falling behind. 

Looking Ahead to 2022

The 2022 midterm elections will take place a year from now. Forty-six percent of registered voters say they prefer a Democratic-controlled Congress, while 45% say they want Republicans in charge. This statistic remains unchanged from August. 

When looking at which party handles particular issues better, Republicans hold double-digit advantages on matters like border security (by 27 points), inflation (24 points), crime (22 points), national security (21 points), the economy (18 points), and being effective and getting things done (13 points). 

In contrast, Democrats are leading on affairs such as abortion (by 10 points), the coronavirus (12 points) and climate change (24 points). These numbers are less than they were during the 2020 election.