An Update from the Center for North Carolina Politics & Public Service
Nearly three-quarters of North Carolinians (72 percent) say rising prices have caused them to cut back on regular purchases in the past month, according to new findings from a Catawba College–YouGov Survey, underscoring the continued impact of affordability concerns on households across the state.
Many North Carolina respondents—57 percent—said they had difficulty in affording their regular monthly expenses, while 43 percent said they had no difficulty in doing so,” said Dr. Michael Bitzer, professor of politics and history and director of the Center for North Carolina Politics & Public Service, which wrote and paid for the survey of 1,000 weighted North Carolinians by YouGov. "Most Republicans, at 53 percent, said they had difficulty, while 57 percent of Independents and 61 percent of Democrats expressed the same sentiment.
Notably, concerns about rising prices are not limited to households experiencing financial hardship. A majority (52 percent) of respondents who said they were not having difficulty meeting their monthly expenses still reported cutting back on purchases in the past month. Of those respondents who were having difficulty, 86 percent were cutting back on purchases.
Three quarters are under ‘high pressure’ for their households due to rising prices, while only a quarter said they were under low pressure. And seven-in-ten North Carolinians believe it is difficult for the average American to afford basic goods and services right now.
CARS AND GASOLINE LEAD THE ISSUES MOST UNAFFORDABLE FOR NORTH CAROLINIANS
Among six areas of purchasing, North Carolinians ranked the purchase of automobiles as the most unaffordable: 68 percent, while only 15 percent said cars were affordable.
Connected with automobiles was fuel: 62 percent said gasoline was unaffordable, compared to 21 percent who said it was affordable.
Housing also had six-in-ten North Carolinians describe it as being unaffordable, with 22 percent saying it was affordable.
The three other areas—healthcare and insurance, groceries, and energy and utilities—all had significant majorities of North Carolinians saying those expenses were also unaffordable: healthcare and insurance at 59 percent; groceries at 58 percent; and utility costs at 57 percent.
North Carolina partisans do differ on their levels of unaffordability in these different areas, but for the most part, majorities of Republicans have unaffordability concerns across the board.
Percentage of NC Respondents Who Say These Are ‘Unaffordable’
| North Carolinians | Democratic Identification | Independent Identification | Republican Identification | |
| Purchase automobiles | 68% | 69% | 72% | 62% |
| Gasoline | 62% | 64% | 68% | 53% |
| Housing | 61% | 62% | 67% | 52% |
| Healthcare & Insurance | 59% | 59% | 64% | 53% |
| Groceries | 58% | 59% | 60% | 54% |
| Energy & Utilities | 57% | 60% | 61% | 49% |
"What is particularly striking is that Independents consistently report the highest levels of affordability concerns across every major category," said Bitzer. "Because Independents often determine the outcome of close statewide elections, continued economic anxiety among these voters could become a significant factor in November."
COMPARED TO JANUARY, MANY AREAS HAVE EXPERIENCED GREATER CONCERNS BY NORTH CAROLINIANS
In comparison to six months ago, North Carolinians are expressing greater concerns about issues of affordability, most notably in cutting back on regular purchases and everyday items such as groceries.
Changes in Issues from January to June
| January 2026 | June 2026 | Change from January to June | |
| Am cutting back on regular purchases | 64% | 72% | +8 |
| Groceries, personal care items unaffordable | 51% | 58% | +7 |
| Energy & utility unaffordable | 53% | 57% | +4 |
| High financial pressure | 71% | 75% | +4 |
| Difficulty in affording monthly expenses | 54% | 57% | +3 |
| Automobiles unaffordable | 65% | 68% | +3 |
| Difficult for average American to afford | 70% | 71% | +1 |
| Healthcare & insurance unaffordable | 63% | 59% | -4 |
| Housing unaffordable | 70% | 61% | -9 |
The largest increases since January were concentrated on everyday consumer expenses rather than major purchases, suggesting that North Carolinians are feeling affordability pressures most acutely in routine household spending.
“An eight-point rise in cutting back on regular purchases sends a message that North Carolinians see the every-day economy as worsening,” said Bitzer. “That also plays out in everyday items such as groceries, personal care, and household goods, with the percentage saying those items were unaffordable increased seven points.”
Housing was the only affordability measure to show a substantial improvement since January, with the share describing housing as unaffordable falling nine points, from 70 percent to 61 percent.
“The public discussion on housing prices and affordability are still notable, with six out of ten North Carolinians saying housing costs are unaffordable,” Bitzer noted.
HOW AFFORDABILITY IS INFLUENCING THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS
In looking at the role of affordability in terms of the upcoming congressional midterm elections, there is a clear divide of those who say unaffordability is an issue and their intended vote choices.
For example, those who say they are experiencing monthly expense difficulty, Democrat Roy Cooper leads Republican Michael Whatley 50 to 28 percent. Those who aren’t experiencing monthly difficulties are tied in their vote intention: Cooper at 44 to Whatley’s 42 percent.
Among those who experience high financial pressure, Cooper leads 51 to 30, while those with low financial pressure, Whatley leads 46 to 39. Those who have cut back on purchases favor Cooper 51 to 30 percent, while those who haven’t cut back are 51 percent for Whatley to 34 for Cooper.
Finally, those who believe the average American is having difficulty, 53 percent say they are voting for Cooper, compared to 28 percent for Whatley. Of those who believe it is easy for the average American to afford things, Whatley leads, 55 to 33 percent.
Similar dynamics are at play when North Carolinians were asked about their vote intentions for both the U.S. House and N.C. House candidates:
- Those having financial difficulties in their monthly expenses, those who have cut back on purchases, and those who are under high financial pressure favor Democrats 59 to 41 percent over Republicans
- Those who believe the average American is having difficulty in affordability favor Democrats 61 to 39 percent
While these findings do not establish that affordability concerns are causing vote preferences, they do demonstrate a strong relationship between economic perceptions and electoral choices in this midterm environment.
This is the third release of findings from the June 2026 Catawba-YouGov Survey. The next release will feature questions regarding concerns about political violence leading up to November’s general election and when political candidates transgress against democratic-republican values.
About the Center for NC Politics and Public Service
The Center for North Carolina Politics & Public Service at Catawba College is dedicated to enriching civic dialogue, deepening understanding, and fostering engagement within North Carolina. Through non-partisan initiatives, the Center promotes the ideals of public service, civic character and engagement, and informed citizenship across the state. By educating North Carolinians about the state's political dynamics and emphasizing the value of public service, the Center cultivates practical political understanding and encourages active civic participation. In doing so, it helps instill a lasting respect for public life and being a responsible citizen — both among Catawba College students and throughout the wider North Carolina community.
About Catawba College
Founded in 1851, Catawba College is a four-year, private, liberal arts college located in Salisbury, N.C. Ranked as one of the best regional colleges in the South, Catawba is known for its intellectual rigor, dedicated faculty, beautiful campus, and strong commitment to sustainability and the environment. The College offers more than 70 undergraduate and four graduate programs allowing students to explore diverse interests and create their own academic pathway. Additional information is available at catawba.edu.
