74% of Americans Rate Economy Poor as Prices Outpace Pay by 0.9 Point
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Nov 1
74% of Americans Rate Economy Poor as Prices Outpace Pay by 0.9 Point
2 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Nov 1
Summary
74% of Americans now rate the economy as poor, with CNN Business reporting deep anger over living costs despite 4.2% unemployment and other strong headline indicators.
Prices are up 6.8% since December 2024 while average hourly pay has risen 5.9%, leaving many households squeezed by rent, food, childcare, insurance and utility bills that never got cheaper.
Rent shocks captured that strain: one Cleveland tenant saw monthly rent jump from $785 to nearly $1,600, while a Tampa retiree's rent rose from $850 to $1,250 as her Social Security check stayed flat.
For some, the fallback has become their car — a Tampa cancer survivor had lived in hers for a week, and a North Carolina veteran slept in hers for seven weeks after losing power.
That financial pressure is spilling into politics ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms: 43% call the economy and cost of living the top issue, yet 29% say neither party would handle it better.