Economic concerns are shaping the upcoming midterm elections, with affordability of everyday goods, housing, healthcare and other necessities at the forefront of voter priorities. A nationwide survey of 1,000 registered voters conducted in mid-October found that most Americans hold a pessimistic outlook on economic conditions. Policy experts and analysts characterize affordability as the dominant issue in the election, overshadowing other policy debates.
Housing costs have emerged as a bipartisan concern, with two-thirds of U.S. adults expressing significant worry about housing affordability. The median price of an existing home reached $417,500 in September, nearly 54% higher than levels from September 2019, while roughly half of renter households spend more than 30% of their income on housing. Congress passed bipartisan housing legislation this year aimed at encouraging construction and reducing barriers to homeownership, though analysts project the immediate effects will be modest. Housing affordability experts suggest the legislation may have longer-term benefits in making homeownership more accessible to first-time buyers.
Tax policy has also featured prominently in election discussions, with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act making permanent certain tax changes and introducing new deductions. Treasury officials cited tax relief benefits for middle and lower-income households, noting higher average refunds in early 2026. However, tax benefits distribute unevenly across households depending on individual circumstances, and most voters rank taxes as secondary to other economic concerns in their voting decisions.
Healthcare affordability has become another central campaign issue, particularly regarding Medicaid enrollment and Affordable Care Act marketplace subsidies. The expiration of enhanced premium tax credits at the end of 2025 led to increased monthly insurance costs and rising uninsured rates, creating a defensive position for some political candidates. Government data indicates over 60 million Medicaid enrollees and approximately 19.2 million ACA marketplace plan participants could be affected by these policy changes.
Longer-term fiscal considerations also loom, with senators elected in November facing potential Social Security funding challenges. According to program trustees, the retirement trust fund could face depletion in 2032, unless Congress implements reforms before that deadline, affecting benefit payments for millions of Americans.
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