A new national survey shows that Americans increasingly view education and housing as the most unaffordable basic necessities, outpacing concerns about health care, groceries, and other everyday expenses.
The poll, conducted by The New York Times in partnership with the Siena Research Institute and released Monday, found that a clear majority of respondents believe the cost of education is out of reach. According to the survey, 58 percent of registered voters said education is unaffordable. Another 26 percent described it as somewhat affordable, while just 8 percent said education is mostly affordable.
Housing was close behind. The survey found that 54 percent of respondents believe housing is unaffordable. An additional 31 percent said housing is somewhat affordable, and only 13 percent said it is mostly affordable. Education and housing were the two categories most frequently identified as unaffordable, surpassing all other major cost-of-living concerns included in the poll.
By comparison, fewer respondents labeled other essentials as unaffordable. Forty-seven percent said health care is unaffordable, while 44 percent said having a family is too costly. Less than 30 percent of respondents said groceries, food, utilities, or transportation were unaffordable when considered individually.
The findings come as long-term trends highlight just how sharply education and housing costs have risen over time. In November, the Education Data Initiative reported that average annual tuition at four-year public colleges is now roughly 40 times higher than it was in 1963. Tuition at private four-year colleges has risen even faster, reaching about 35 times its 1963 level.
Housing costs have also continued to climb. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of shelter rose 3.2 percent year over year in December, outpacing the overall inflation rate of 2.7 percent. That gap underscores how housing expenses are growing faster than many other household costs.
The Treasury Department has previously pointed to structural issues in the housing market. In a 2024 report, the department said more than 90 percent of Americans lived in counties where median rents and home prices rose faster than median incomes between 2000 and 2020. Treasury attributed much of that trend to housing demand consistently outstripping housing supply over the past two decades.
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump took action aimed at addressing housing affordability by signing an executive order directing his administration to crack down on Wall Street investors purchasing residential homes. The move was framed as part of a broader effort to prioritize homeownership for American families.
However, industry data suggest institutional investors represent a relatively small share of the overall market. Redfin chief economist Daryl Fairweather told The Hill last week that homes purchased by Wall Street investors accounted for about 3 percent of all home purchases in the third quarter of 2025.
The New York Times/Siena poll was conducted between Jan. 12 and Jan. 17 through interviews conducted by phone and text message. The survey included 1,625 registered voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.
Taken together, the results highlight a growing perception among Americans that the traditional pathways to stability — education and homeownership — are becoming increasingly difficult to access, even as other everyday costs remain comparatively more manageable.
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