Young voters harbor deep worries about inflation, debt and housing

Three in 10 voters under 30 years old say that inflation and the cost of living is the most important problem currently facing the country — three times more than the share calling “threats to democracy” their most important issue, which was the next highest issue among young voters.

That category came in at 11% in the new NBC News Stay Tuned Gen Z poll powered by SurveyMonkey.

Which one of the following issues matters MOST to you right now?

Among registered voters ages 18-29

• Inflation/cost of living: 31
• Threats to democracy: 11
• Abortion: 9
• Health care: 8
• Crime and safety: 8
• Isreal-Hamas war: 8
• Climate change: 6
• Immigration: 5
• Racial justice: 5
• Restrictions or bans on what is taught in the classroom: 4
• Gun policy: 4

Notes: MOE +/- 3.1, August 23-30, 2024

Source: NBC News Stay Tuned Gen Z poll powered by SurveyMonkey

Abortion is the third most selected issue at 9%, followed by the Israel-Hamas war and “crime and safety” — both of which were selected by only 8% of young voters.

The concern about costs cut across party lines: Young Democrats, Republicans and independents were all most likely to rank inflation and the cost of living as the issue that matters most to them right now. 

And about 7 in 10 young voters said that debt has caused them to delay at least one major life milestone.

Buying a home is at the top of this list, with 38% saying that debt has delayed home ownership. In fact, 84% said that compared to their parent’s generation, owning a home is harder to achieve, including 64% who said it’s much harder.

Other major life milestones that have also been delayed by debt: Buying a car (36%), saving for retirement (33%), and moving out their own (32%). Around 1 in 4 young voters said that debt has caused them to delay having children or getting married.

The numbers provide a backdrop for the political decision facing Gen Z voters, who are lining up behind Vice President Kamala Harris over former President Donald Trump — but not currently at the levels Democrats enjoyed against Trump in 2020.

As a group, they are skeptical of traditional politics: A majority, 53%, at least somewhat agreed with the statement that “what people call ‘compromise’ in politics is really just selling out on one’s principles.”

Yet the young voters surveyed showed more optimism about their personal finances than about the national economy.

Compared to one year ago, are economic conditions in the country as a whole:

Among registered voters ages 18-29

• Worse today: 56
• Better today: 22
• About the same: 22

Notes: MOE +/- 3.1, August 23-30, 2024

Source: NBC News Stay Tuned Gen Z poll powered by SurveyMonkey

Just 2 in 10 young voters said that the national economy has improved in the last year, while 56% says that it has gotten worse. Another 22% said the nation’s economy has stayed about the same in the last year.

Meanwhile, 34% said that their personal financial situation has improved in the last year, compared to 36% who say their personal finances have gotten worse. Three in 10 said their finances have stayed the same over the last year.

Compared to one year ago, is your personal finance situation:

Among registered voters ages 18-29

• Worse today: 36
• Better today: 34
• About the same: 30

Notes: MOE +/- 3.1, August 23-30, 2024

Source: NBC News Stay Tuned Gen Z poll powered by SurveyMonkey

Four in 10 Republicans, and the same share of independents, said inflation and the cost of living is the most important issue.

About a quarter of Democrats chose inflation, followed by “threats to democracy” (16%), abortion (12%) and the Israel-Hamas war (11%).

Among Republicans, on the other hand, immigration and crime and safety ranked second with 9% each, followed by abortion and health care with 7% each and “threats to democracy” (6).

Independents chose health care (11%), crime and safety (9%), the Israel-Hamas war (9%) as the issues that matter most to them behind inflation.

This NBC News Stay Tuned Gen Z poll was powered by SurveyMonkey, the fast, intuitive feedback management platform where 20 million questions are answered daily. It was conducted online Aug. 23-30 among a national sample of 2,617 registered voters 18-29 years old. The data was weighted to population totals among 18-29 year olds for sex, race, census region (all from the American Community Survey), and partisanship (from the Cooperative Election Study). The estimated margin of error for this survey is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. Sampling error associated with subgroup results is higher.

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:

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