An Update from the Center for North Carolina Politics & Public Service
Americans report widespread financial strain from rising prices, according to a new national survey from Catawba College and YouGov. Nearly three-quarters of Americans (74%) say rising prices are placing either a fair amount or a great deal of financial pressure on their households, while more than two-thirds (68%) say rising prices have caused them to cut back on regular purchases during the past month.
More than half of Americans (57%) say they have at least some difficulty affording their regular monthly expenses, including groceries, utilities and transportation. Meanwhile, 75% say it is difficult for the average American to afford basic goods and services today, while only 9% say it is easy.
“The story here is not simply that Americans believe prices are higher. They are telling us that those higher prices are affecting their household budgets and changing their behavior,” said Dr. J. Michael Bitzer, director of Catawba College’s Center for North Carolina Politics & Public Service, which wrote and paid for the survey. “For millions of Americans, affordability has moved from an economic statistic to a day-to-day household reality.”
PRICES ARE AFFECTING HOUSEHOLD BUDGETS AND PURCHASES
When asked how much financial pressure rising prices are placing on their households, nearly three-quarters of Americans (74%) said either a fair amount or a great deal, while about one-quarter reported not much or no pressure. Among respondents with family incomes below $50,000, about eight in 10 said they were under financial pressure, compared with roughly three-quarters of those earning $50,000 to $99,999 and 60% of those earning $100,000 or more.
Consistent with those reports of pressure, more than two-thirds (68%) said rising prices had caused them to cut back on regular purchases in the past month. A majority (57%) also said they had difficulty affording their regular monthly expenses. Republicans were the only partisan group in which a majority said affording regular monthly expenses was not difficult.
When asked to think about the average American and how easy or difficult it is for them to afford basic goods and services now, 75% said it was difficult, while less than 10% (9%) said it was easy.
NO MAJOR HOUSEHOLD EXPENSE ESCAPES AFFORDABILITY CONCERNS
The financial pressure reported by Americans is reflected across virtually every part of the American household budget. Majorities rated all six expense categories tested, from automobiles and housing to groceries, health care, gasoline and household energy, as unaffordable.
| Expense | Unaffordable | Very Unaffordable |
|---|---|---|
| Automobile purchase | 66% | 44% |
| Housing | 61% | 37% |
| Gasoline | 59% | 27% |
| Groceries/household goods | 57% | 20% |
| Health care & insurance | 55% | 32% |
| Energy/utilities | 54% | 22% |
Automobile purchases generated the highest level of concern, with 66% rating them unaffordable, including 44% who said they were very unaffordable. Housing followed at 61%, while 59% rated gasoline unaffordable.
Concerns also extended to everyday household costs: 57% rated groceries, personal care items and household goods unaffordable; 55% said the same about health care and insurance; and 54% said household energy and utilities were unaffordable.
“There is no single affordability problem in these findings,” Bitzer said. “Americans are telling us that the squeeze is being felt across the board.”
THE AFFORDABILITY SQUEEZE CROSSES PARTY LINES
While Democrats are more likely than Republicans to report affordability concerns, the issue is hardly confined to one side of the political spectrum. Majorities of Republicans say automobiles, housing and gasoline are unaffordable. At the same time, sizable minorities of Republicans say the same about household energy, groceries and household goods, and health care and insurance.
“Affordability concerns cross party lines, even though they are not felt with the same intensity,” Bitzer said. “Democrats and independents are generally more likely to describe these expenses as unaffordable, but substantial shares, and in several cases majorities, of Republicans say the same. The cost of living is not a concern confined to one side of the political spectrum; rather, it is a shared concern.”
FAMILY INCOME SHOWS DIFFERENCES IN AFFORDABILITY ISSUES FOR AMERICANS
Affordability concerns were widespread across income groups, but lower-income respondents were considerably more likely to report immediate household strain. Seven in 10 respondents earning $50,000 or less in family income said they have difficulty affording regular monthly expenses, compared with 39% of respondents with family incomes of $100,000 or more, a 31-point difference.
Lower-income respondents also were more likely to say they had cut back on regular purchases and to report financial pressure from rising prices. By contrast, differences between income groups were generally smaller when respondents were asked to rate the affordability of individual expense categories.
“The income differences tell us something important: Americans across the income spectrum recognize that things have become expensive, but they do not experience that reality in the same way,” Bitzer said. “The gap becomes much larger when we move from perceptions of affordability to whether people are actually having difficulty meeting their monthly expenses or changing their spending.”
Lower-income respondents were also more likely than those with family incomes of $100,000 or more to say rising prices had caused them to cut back on regular purchases and to report substantial financial pressure. The smallest difference between the two income groups concerned perceptions of whether the average American can afford basic goods and services, a 9-point gap.
“These findings capture a country that is economically uneasy,” Bitzer said. “Americans are feeling pressure in their own households and see affordability challenges across the economy, whether it’s in their own pocketbooks or others’ wallets.”
The survey was conducted online from Sept. 4-9, 2026, by YouGov, which interviewed 1,200 weighted U.S. adults ages 18 and older. The overall margin of error, adjusted for weights, is plus or minus 3.6 percentage points; subgroups will have higher margins of error. In addition to sampling error, surveys are subject to other kinds of error; all results should be viewed as informative estimates rather than definitive measures of public opinion.
You may find additional details about the poll’s findings, methodology and responses below.
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.
