Poll: Two‑thirds of voters say a middle‑class life is out of reach

A New York Times/Siena poll conducted Jan. 12–17 found Americans are deeply pessimistic about their economic futures, with two‑thirds of voters saying a middle‑class lifestyle is out of reach for most people and 77 percent saying it has gotten harder to achieve than a generation ago.

Majorities of voters said they do not feel confident in their ability to pay for housing, retirement and health care, and more than half said housing and education are now unaffordable. While a majority said they could afford basics like rent, gas and groceries, most said they worry about the costs; nearly 60 percent said they worry about affording basics and 11 percent said they could not afford them at all.

Only 14 percent of voters said they feel they are getting ahead financially. The poll found sharp generational divides: half of voters under 45 said they are worse off financially than their parents were at the same age and just 10 percent said they are getting ahead. Seventy‑five percent of voters under 65 said they cannot afford the cost of retirement or feel insecure about it, and more than half of voters under 30 said the home they would like to own is out of reach.

Voters over 65 expressed far fewer cost worries, with nearly two‑thirds saying they can afford the life they feel they should be able to afford.

Key Topics

Politics, Siena University, Middle Class, Housing Costs, Education Costs, Retirement Security