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Posted on 03/02/2026 8:09:00 PM PST by 11th_VA
What we found: More Americans are feeling “comfortable” with their economic situation since this time last year. Now half (51%) describe themselves as comfortable vs. just 37% last February. That’s due to increases in both very comfortable and somewhat comfortable responses. So what’s driving that? Some data-based hunches:
Comfort had dropped between 2024 (44%) and 2025 (37%), but the moment we asked this in 2025 was kind of peak tariff uncertainty, which was probably leading to some discomfort
Interest rates are slowly falling (mortgages dipped below 6% for the first time since 2022) and markets are up. (Yes, we know these are not the parts of the economy most people care about.)
President Trump has been telling people that prices of many goods like beef, chicken and eggs have been falling. The egg part at least is objectively true. My local butcher who’s on the verge of going out of business might disagree about the beef part.
Gas prices, which people care deeply about, are down on average from a year ago, according to GasBuddy, but note they have been rising alongside tensions with Iran.
To borrow an important disclaimer from Kai Ryssdal: I am not an economist, but I’ve covered this space for a long time. My hunch is that price perceptions are probably the biggest driver in this shift toward comfort more than the markets and interest rates. Perception of higher gasoline prices compared to the previous year plummeted by 18 points, dropping from 56% to just 38% now.
Perceived dairy inflation saw the largest drop among all food categories; only 58% of Americans believe dairy prices are rising, down from a staggering 82% last year.
In what is a zero-sum economy, it’s good that some important prices are dropping (or we think they are) because things like electricity are perceived as stubbornly high.
Overall, the the groups less likely to say prices are rising are led by an interesting mix of demographics: high earners, senior citizens and Democrats. For instance, Democrats’ perception of higher gas prices fell by 23 points, compared to a just a 12-point drop for Republicans (which could be tied to urbanicity, for sure.)
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Prices have stabilized - no longer outpacing wage growth. It is starting to be noticed.
“Prices have stabilized - no longer outpacing wage growth. It is starting to be noticed.”
And you begin to see sale items in the grocery store that are cheaper than in recent years. Just today, the El Rancho near us in Houston had large eggs on sale for fifty cents a dozen (Limit 2). People notice that.
This could be more trouble for democrats than the usual preference polls. Because, it’s still ‘the economy, stupid.’
Newscum moved instantly to blame Trump for California’s super-expensive gasoline.
There’s a long way to go...but there is less sticker shock. The attitude is more like “well, at least things aren’t getting any worse.” If prices remain stable and raises continue, the attitude may continue to improve...hopefully more so by November.
And record warm temps should hit the eastern US by Thursday - for an extended period. Mitigating perceived energy price hikes from the Iran payback war.
I don’t ever recall being polled on “comfort” or “discomfort”. Weird.
I’m not seeing prices dropping, just remaining the same.
This 51% sure as hell don’t live in Kalifornia!
RE: More Americans feeling comfortable.
Old Earl Nightingale joke.
While crossing the street in NYC a middle aged man was hit by a car which only grazed him but knocked him down.
A young beat cop who knew him and happened to be nearby ran over to see if he was okay. He put his coat over his body.
“Are you okay? Are you comfortable?”
“Well, I wouldn’t exactly say I’m comfortable but I make a pretty good living.”
Not in PA we have high gas prices food prices energy PPL has raised prices. We have not benefited from anything.
TAX REFUNDS
The time span of a government shutdown depresses economic performance numbers. It’s a winning tactic for the Rats and GOPE.
Your setup was good but you blew the payoff.
“Are you okay? Are you comfortable?”
“I make a pretty good living.”
Gasoline prices going up will not help
More Americans are feeling ‘comfortable’ economically.
Except California it’s always in a race price gouging Vs taxes
no matter how the economy is doing.
RE: “you”
The story was from one of the CDs of old Earl Nightingale lectures. So the “you” would be for Earl Nightingale.
Thank you for your interest in my posts.
Best.
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