 "Rising inflation and job worries heighten economic anxiety among US adults")
Economic unease is deepening across the United States as inflationary pressures and job market uncertainty weigh heavily on households under President Donald Trump’s administration.
A new Associated Press–NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll indicates that Americans are increasingly anxious about their financial stability and prospects in a slowing economy.
The survey found that nearly half of US adults—47%—say they are “not very” or “not at all confident” they could find a good job if they wanted to, up sharply from 37% recorded in October 2023. The finding signals a growing erosion of optimism in a labour market once touted as the backbone of Trump’s economic revival pledge.
High prices for everyday essentials continue to dominate public concern. The poll shows that more than half of Americans view grocery costs as a “major” source of financial stress. Roughly four in ten cite housing and health care expenses as severe strains, while about one-third report significant anxiety over gasoline prices.
Meanwhile, rising electricity bills are emerging as a new pressure point—36% of respondents said energy costs were a “major” source of stress. Analysts warn that the expansion of artificial intelligence data centres could further strain the power grid, potentially driving bills even higher.
The findings come as a potential warning sign for Republicans, who face increasing scrutiny over the economy’s trajectory. Trump, who returned to the White House in January, had promised to swiftly curb inflation and restore economic confidence after pandemic-era disruptions and what he called “Biden’s mismanagement.”
Instead, prices for essentials remain stubbornly high, and his economic approval ratings have stayed low amid tariffs, federal worker layoffs, and a protracted government shutdown that has slowed key sectors.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsEconomists note that while overall inflation has cooled from its peak, wage growth has stagnated and job creation has faltered, amplifying the perception that the economic recovery is uneven. “The gap between macroeconomic indicators and household sentiment remains wide,” one analyst told Reuters, adding that many Americans “feel worse off even if headline numbers show improvement.”
With household budgets stretched and confidence waning, the poll underscores a broader vulnerability for the administration heading into an election year. Trump’s challenge now lies in restoring faith not only in his economic agenda but in the promise that his policies can deliver real relief to working families struggling under persistent inflation and fading job security.
Linda Weavil, 76, voted for Trump last year because he “seems like a smart businessman.” But she said in an interview that the Republican’s tariffs have worsened inflation, citing the chocolate-covered pecans sold for her church group fundraiser that now cost more.
“I think he’s doing a great job on a lot of things, but I’m afraid our coffee and chocolate prices have gone up because of tariffs,” the retiree from Greensboro, North Carolina, said. “That’s a kick in the back of the American people.”
The poll found that 36% of U.S. adults approve of how Trump is handling the economy, a figure that has held steady this year after he imposed tariffs that caused broad economic uncertainty. Among Republicans, 71% feel positive about his economic leadership. Yet that approval within Trump’s own party is relatively low in ways that could be problematic for Republicans in next month’s races for governor in New Jersey and Virginia, and perhaps even in the 2026 midterm elections.
At roughly the same point in Biden’s term, in October 2021, an AP-NORC poll found that 41% of U.S. adults approved of how he was handling the economy, including about 73% of Democrats. That overall number was a little higher than Trump’s, primarily because of independents — 29% approved of how Biden was handling the economy, compared with the 18% who currently support Trump’s approach.
The job market was meaningfully stronger in terms of hiring during Biden’s presidency as the United States was recovering from pandemic-related lockdowns. But hiring has slowed sharply under Trump with monthly job gains averaging less than 27,000 after the April tariff announcements.
People see that difference.
Four years ago, 36% of those in the survey were “extremely” or “very” confident in their ability to get a good job, but that has fallen to 21% now.
Biden’s approval on the economy steadily deteriorated through the middle of 2022 when inflation hit a four-decade high, creating an opening for Trump’s political comeback.
In some ways, Trump has made the inflation problems harder by choosing to cancel funding for renewable energy projects and imposing tariffs on the equipment needed for factories and power plants. Those added costs are coming before the anticipated construction of data centers for AI that could further push up prices without more construction.
Even though 36% see electricity as a major concern, there are some who have yet to feel a serious financial squeeze. In the survey, 40% identified electricity costs as a “minor” stress, while 23% said their utility bills are “not a source” of stress.
Kevin Halsey, 58, of Normal, Illinois, said his monthly electricity bills used to be $90 during the summer because he had solar panels, but have since jumped to $300. Halsey, who works in telecommunications, voted Democratic in last year’s presidential election and described the economy right now as “crap.”
”I’ve got to be pessimistic,” he said. “I don’t see this as getting better.”
At a fundamental level, Trump finds himself in the same economic dilemma that bedeviled Biden. There are signs the economy remains relatively solid with a low unemployment rate, stock market gains and decent economic growth, yet the public continues to be skeptical about the economy’s health.
Some 68% of U.S. adults describe the U.S. economy these days as “poor,” while 32% say it’s “good.” That’s largely consistent with assessments of the economy over the past year.
In addition, 59%, say their family finances are “holding steady.” But only 12% say they’re “getting ahead,” and 28% say they are “falling behind.”
The sense of economic precarity is coming from many different directions, with indications that many think middle-class stability is falling out of reach.
The vast majority of U.S. adults feel at least “minor” stress about the cost of groceries, health care, housing, the amount they pay in taxes, what they are paid at work and the cost of gas for their cars.
In the survey, 47%, say they are “not very” or “not at all” confident they could pay an unexpected medical expense while 52% have low confidence they will have enough saved for their retirement. Also, 63%, are “not very” or “not at all” confident they could buy a new home if they wanted to.
Young adults are much less confident about their ability to buy a house, though confidence is not especially high across the board. About 8 in 10 U.S. adults under age 30 say they are “not very confident” or “not at all confident” they would be able to buy a house, compared with about 6 in 10 adults 60 and older.
For 54% of U.S. adults, the cost of groceries is a “major source” of stress in their life right now.
Unique Hopkins, 36, of Youngstown, Ohio, said she is now working two jobs after her teenage daughter had a baby, leaving Hopkins with a sense that she can barely tread water as part of the “working poor.” She voted for Trump in 2016, only to switch to Democrats after she felt his ego kept him from uniting the country and solving problems.
“It’s his way or no way,” she said. “Nobody is going to unite with Trump if it’s all about you, you, you.”
With inputs from agencies
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