Pew Survey: Cost Concerns Dominate as Just 21 Percent of Americans Rate National Economic Conditions as Excellent or Good
A Pew Research Center survey released on October 8 finds that Americans' ratings of national economic conditions have turned more negative, with the cost of living the dominant concern. The survey of 5,062 U.S. adults was conducted from September 28 to October 4, 2026.
Just 21 percent of respondents said national economic conditions are excellent or good, down from 28 percent at the start of the year and one of the lowest assessments of either of President Donald Trump's two terms. The public's biggest economic concern is the price of gas and energy: 74 percent said they are very concerned, up from 60 percent in July and 43 percent in January. Large majorities also said they are very concerned about the cost of food and consumer goods (73 percent), health care (69 percent) and housing (66 percent).
Concern about the job market has also risen: 48 percent now say they are very concerned about people who want to work being unable to find jobs, up from 44 percent in July and 29 percent in October 2022. Half of the public said they are very concerned about the role of super intelligence in the economy, while only 21 percent were very concerned about the stock market.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：超市货架通道（资料图）。照片：Wolfmann 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / A supermarket aisle (file photo). Photo by Wolfmann, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
