An Update from the Center for North Carolina Politics & Public Service
One year into the Trump administration, most North Carolinians say prices are higher than a year ago and report difficulty affording regular monthly expenses, according to a January Catawba-YouGov Survey. Many also say they have cut back on purchases and expect prices to continue rising over the coming year.
A substantial majority—63 percent—say prices are higher than a year ago. Only 15 percent of the 1,000 North Carolinians say prices are lower than a year ago, with another 22 percent saying they are about the same.
“What we are seeing is not simply sticker shock, but a potential broader sense of economic strain,” said Dr. Michael Bitzer, professor of politics and history and director of the Center for North Carolina Politics & Public Service. “Majorities across party lines acknowledge higher prices, even if they differ on how severe those increases feel.”
Among Republicans, a plurality—40 percent—say prices are higher than when Trump took office. Among Democrats, 83 percent say prices are higher, with 62 percent of Independents saying the same.
Compared to a December 2025 national Catawba-YouGov Survey, fewer North Carolinians say prices are higher. Nationally, 77 percent of Americans said prices are higher, 14 percent said they were the same, and only 8 percent said they were lower.
The national survey found that nine out of ten national Democrats said prices were higher, while 78 percent of Independents and 62 percent of Republicans said the same.
Both surveys were written and paid for by Catawba College’s Center for North Carolina Politics & Public Service and administered by YouGov. The North Carolina survey was taken January 13-22, 2026, and the online survey’s overall margin of error (adjusted for weights) is plus/minus 3.69 percent for the 1,000 weighted responses. The national Catawba-YouGov Survey was administered December 12-17, 2025, and the online survey’s margin of error was plus/minus 2.67 percent for the 2,000 weighted responses. Where results of subgroups are reported, the margin of error will be greater; survey results should be viewed as informative and not determinative.
NORTH CAROLINIANS ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY AFFORDING THEIR MONTHLY EXPENSES & ARE CUTTING BACK
A majority—54 percent—of North Carolinians say they are having difficulty in affording their regular monthly expenses, such as groceries, utilities, and transportation. Majorities of both Democrats (62 percent) and Independents (52 percent) say monthly expenses are difficult, while only 45 percent of Republicans say so.
Respondents in both rural and suburban counties say the costs of their monthly expenses are difficult: 60 percent in rural and 58 percent in suburban counties. Those in urban counties are nearly divided, with 51 percent saying it’s not difficult to afford their monthly expenses, but 49 percent saying it is difficult.
Nearly two out of three—64 percent—of North Carolinians are responding by cutting back on their regular purchases over the past month. Among Republicans, there is an even split between those cutting back and not, at 48 percent each. Over three-quarters of Democrats and six-out-of-ten Independents have cut back on their regular purchases.
And when it comes to forecasting what prices will do over 2026, North Carolinians are not optimistic: 57 percent say prices will likely increase, with 18 percent saying they will decrease. Republicans are more hopeful: a plurality (36 percent) think prices will stay the same, while 35 percent say prices will decrease and 29 percent think prices will go up.
“When more than half of respondents say they are having difficulty covering routine expenses and nearly two-thirds report cutting back on purchases, that suggests households are actively adjusting their behavior, not just expressing frustration,” Bitzer said. “Expectations about future prices are often as politically and economically important as present conditions, and the predominance of pessimism indicates that many North Carolinians do not yet see relief on the immediate horizon.”
HOUSING, AUTOMOBILES, AND HEALTHCARE/INSURANCE TOP THE LIST OF UNAFFORDABLE ITEMS FOR NORTH CAROLINIANS
When asked about six areas consumers generally spend their money on, housing, automobiles, and healthcare and insurance top the list of items North Carolinians deem unaffordable.
“When housing, transportation, and healthcare are the most pressing affordability concerns for North Carolinians, these are foundational expenses that are difficult to postpone or substitute, which helps explain why they dominate public perception,” Bitzer noted.
Seven out of ten North Carolinians say housing is unaffordable, with only 17 percent saying it’s affordable. Sixty percent of Republicans describe housing as unaffordable, with 68 percent of Independents and three-quarters of Democrats agreeing.
Nearly two-thirds of North Carolinians say cars are unaffordable today, with 60 percent of Republicans, 64 percent of Independents, and 67 percent of Democrats agreeing.
Continued concerns about healthcare and insurance also dominate, with 63 percent of North Carolinians saying those products are unaffordable. A majority of Republicans—54 percent—agree, while two-thirds of both Democrats and Independents say so.
When it comes to energy and utility and everyday products (such as groceries, personal care items, and household goods), majorities of North Carolinians say they are unaffordable: 53 percent say energy & utility costs are unaffordable, while 51 percent say basic goods are unaffordable.
Only 47 percent say childcare is unaffordable, but nearly three-out-of-ten said they didn’t know about this issue. Only 12 percent said it was affordable, the lowest of the six areas surveyed.
This is the second release on North Carolina’s opinions from the Catawba-YouGov January 2026 Survey; a final release will focus on the upcoming March primaries, what qualities voters want in candidates, and an early indication of voter intentions for November’s general election.
