(The Center Square) – Americans’ concern about inflation, the economy, health the federal budget and Social Security is up, with concern about Social Security hitting the highest level in 15-years, according to a newly released poll from Gallup.
However, the poll also reports that Americans are concerned about crime, drug use, immigration, and energy costs.
“After the change in presidential administrations, partisans’ worries have shifted significantly on most of the 16 issues Gallup measured, as Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents have become more concerned, while Republicans and Republican-leaning independents are less worried,” wrote Megan Brenan, a senior editor for Gallup.
As always, the economy and economic issues remain at the forefront of American concerns. Poll respondents were nearly equally worried about the economy and the availability and affordability of health care, with 60% indicating they worry “a great deal” about the economy and 59% for health care. Fifty-six percent worry a lot about inflation, and over 50% are very concerned about the federal budget and Social Security. Hunger, homelessness, “the way income and wealth are distributed” as well as “the size and power of the federal government” also register as serious concerns for nearly half of Americans.
Meanwhile, crime and violence, the quality of the environment, the possibility of a terrorist attack on the U.S., illegal immigration and drug use ranked as issues of less concern to Americans.
“Americans exhibit the lowest concern about unemployment, the availability and affordability of energy, and race relations,” Brenan wrote.
Americans haven’t been this concerned about health care since the start of the pandemic, while distress over race relations has continued to drop since 2021, when it peaked at 48%, according to Gallup. Thirty-three percent of respondents indicated they were very worried about race relations, while 18% indicated they were “not at all” worried.
Gallup conducted phone interviews with 1,002 randomly selected adults from March 3-16 for this poll.
