U.S. housing costs rank as top issue for young voters ahead of midterms

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Housing costs top issue for young voters

Highlights

CNBC's Q2 2026 All-America Economic Survey finds housing costs ranked as the top issue for 18-34 year-olds and men 18-49 among 1,000 voters polled July 8–12.
Harvard data shows 49% of renter households, or 12.1 million out of 22.7 million, spend over 30%—and many over 50%—of income on housing.
Democrats rank housing as their third priority while Republicans rank it lower, with partisan divide on blame for rising rents, prices, and mortgage costs.

Survey findings and voter priorities

As reported by CNBC, its All-America Economic Survey for the second quarter of 2026, based on 1,000 registered voters interviewed from July 8 to 12, shows housing costs are the top political issue for voters aged 18 to 34.

The issue also ranks first among men aged 18 to 49, and second among voters aged 35 to 49 across all genders, behind only the cost of food and groceries. Across the full survey sample, housing and healthcare are tied as the fourth-most important issue facing the country, trailing food costs, protecting democracy, and immigration and border security.

Jay Campbell, partner at Hart Research and the Democratic pollster for the survey, says housing could play a role for Democrats similar to the long-standing political advantage the party has often held on healthcare, especially in mobilizing younger voters who are anti-Trump and pro-democratic.

Affordability pressures and partisan split

Housing concerns are being driven by costs relative to income and by rising mortgage expenses linked to higher insurance and property taxes. A June report from Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies finds that 49% of renter households spend more than 30% of their income on housing, and 12.1 million of the 22.7 million affected households spend more than half.

The survey shows a partisan divide in how voters rank the issue. Democrats place housing as their third-highest priority after food costs and protecting democracy, while independents rank it fourth behind food costs, democracy, and immigration and border security. Republicans place greater emphasis on immigration, food costs and Iran, ranking housing lower among their main concerns.

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesperson Viet Shelton says in a statement that voters blame Republicans for failing to lower housing costs, arguing that rising rents, unaffordable home prices and elevated mortgage rates are worsening the affordability crisis.

Our earlier article on New York City’s shortage of affordable senior housing examined how high rents and limited subsidized supply are forcing older residents to compete for a small number of low-cost apartments. Using the Linden Grove development in Bushwick as an example, we outlined how financing tools like Section 8 support and public-private funding can keep rents low, while demand, waitlists, and eligibility rules still leave many seniors rent-burdened and uncertain about long-term stability.

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