Affordability Remains Americans' Top Worry: Food, Housing, Health Care

Despite a resilient economy and cooling inflation, CBS News reports Americans’ top economic concern remains affordability, driven by rising food costs, a tight housing market and higher health-care premiums. Pew data place food, housing and health care at the forefront of worries ahead of President Trump’s State of the Union. While the administration touts measures like housing-market reforms and drug-price initiatives, economists caution that a lasting relief requires addressing a persistent housing shortage and ongoing health-insurance costs, with staples such as ground beef and coffee up significantly and 2026 health insurance premiums rising about 6–7%.