See this visualization first on the Voronoi app.
Cost of Living is Now a Top Concern for Americans
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
- Nearly half (49.1%) of Americans say cost of living is their biggest personal challenge in 2025.
- Physical and mental health rank significantly lower at 26%.
A new survey conducted by Statista Consumer Insights finds that cost of living has overtaken all other personal challenges for American adults in 2025, with nearly half of respondents identifying it as their most pressing issue.
| Challenge | Share of Respondents (US) |
|---|---|
| Cost of living | 49.1% |
| Physical health | 26.3% |
| Mental health | 26.0% |
| Work-life balance | 25.8% |
| Political or social issues | 22.7% |
| Age-related concerns | 16.7% |
| Housing | 16.6% |
| Career dissatisfaction or uncertainty | 16.2% |
Drawing on responses from over 4,000 U.S. adults aged 18–64, the study highlights how economic anxieties are now front and center, outpacing traditional concerns like health, housing, and politics.
This marks a notable shift from pre-pandemic trends, when issues like physical health, immigration, and political polarization were more dominant in public sentiment.
Why Cost of Living Now Dominates
The rising concern about cost of living reflects a broader economic reality: wages are not keeping up with inflation. Even as employment remains strong, many workers are finding that their income no longer stretches far enough to cover essentials like rent, groceries, and transportation. This “silent squeeze” is especially acute among middle-income earners and those without advanced degrees.
Meanwhile, everyday goods like eggs and gas remain stubbornly expensive, as tracked in ongoing inflation analyses by U.S. News. As our recent map shows, the economic burden is even heavier for U.S. families.
Shifting Public Priorities
In previous years, surveys like this one showed health care, immigration, and social issues as top concerns. But in 2025, practical day-to-day economic struggles have taken center stage. Even work-life balance, mental health, and political issues now rank below cost of living—a sign that financial strain is eclipsing nearly every other dimension of life.
This aligns with longer-term polling from Statista, which shows that economic issues have climbed steadily up the ranks of American worries since the onset of the pandemic and subsequent inflation spike.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
Explore more data-driven visuals on living costs, like our recent chart: Ranked: U.S. Cities With the Highest Cost of Living.