Roughly three in 10 Americans say the high cost of living and inflation are the biggest financial problems facing their families in 2026, according to a new Gallup poll.
Gallup asked Americans what they consider to be the important financial problem facing their families, leaving the question open-ended. Thirty-one percent cited high cost of living, similar to the 29% who said the same in 2025. Gallup noted that the share is below the record high of 41% — recorded in 2024 — but pointed out that this year’s rating is among the highest recorded in 20 years. The rating is also a significant shift from 2020, when just 3% had the same worries.
Concerns about the cost of living were followed by worries about energy and housing costs, with 13% of Americans worried about each problem. However, stress about energy costs rose 10 points between 2025 and 2026, constituting the highest reading since 2008.
Americans rated healthcare costs as the fourth biggest financial problem for their families, with 8% considering it the most important financial issue for them.
According to Gallup, the responses significantly exceeded other financial concerns like college expenses, Social Security, and the state of the economy.
“While affordability issues are usually the top category of responses, this is the fifth consecutive year that they have led by a wide margin,” Gallup pointed out.
Gallup further discovered that 55% of Americans say rising prices have created financial hardships and struggles to maintain their standard of living. The share is down somewhat from January 2024, when it was 63%, but is consistent with reports from last year, when it was 53%.
As they have for the past four years, less than half of Americans rate their financial situations as excellent or good (46%). Just over one third say their situation is fair, and nearly two in 10 rate it as poor. According to Gallup, the ratings contrast with those from 2016 through 2021, when half or the majority of Americans said they were in a good place financially.
In addition, Americans generally have a negative outlook on their financial futures. A record 55% say their financial situation is worsening, making 2026 the fifth consecutive year in which more Americans say their financial futures are worsening and not improving. Thirty-four percent said their financial situations will stay the same.
Gallup noted that the data on financial situations and futures tracks with ratings given during the Great Recession.