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2025

Economic

Inflation and Cost of Living

01

  • What: Americans continue to struggle with high prices for essentials housing, groceries, utilities, and transportation even though inflation has slowed from pandemic highs.

  • Why it matters: Persistent affordability problems reduce purchasing power, fuel economic stress, and drive political dissatisfaction. Rising costs also widen the gap between high- and low-income households.

  • Facts: Inflation and cost-of-living concerns rank as the top issues in nearly every major 2025 national poll, with a majority of Americans saying they feel “financially worse off” than a few years ago.

Social/Economic

02

Health-Care Costs and Access

  • What: Many Americans face soaring medical bills, insurance premiums, and prescription drug costs, despite policy efforts to expand coverage and control prices.

  • Why it matters: Health-care expenses are a leading cause of debt and financial insecurity. Limited access or delayed treatment worsens health outcomes and strains public systems.

  • Facts: In 2025, over half of adults rate the cost of health care as a “very big problem,” making it one of the nation’s most enduring concerns.

Political/Social

03

Immigration and Border Management

  • What: Record migrant arrivals at the southern border have intensified debates about security, humanitarian policy, and labor needs.

  • Why it matters: Immigration policy affects communities, workforce composition, and public trust in the government’s ability to manage complex challenges fairly and effectively.

  • Facts:  Immigration remains a top-tier issue in 2025, cited among the top three concerns in multiple national surveys.

Political

04

Government Corruption and Trust in Institutions

  • What: Many Americans believe political leaders and institutions serve special interests rather than the public good. Concerns about transparency, ethics, and influence persist.

  • Why it matters: Low institutional trust weakens democracy, discourages civic participation, and fuels polarization and conspiracy theories.

  • Facts:  More than half of respondents in 2025 polls view government corruption as a “major problem,” placing it among the top five public worries.

Economic/Social

05

Housing Affordability and Homelessness

  • What: Rent and home prices remain near record highs, pushing ownership out of reach for many and contributing to rising homelessness.

  • Why it matters: Housing costs directly influence quality of life, economic mobility, and local stability. Lack of affordable housing deepens inequality and strains social services.

  • Facts: National surveys show concern over housing affordability surging, especially among young adults and middle-income earners.

Social

06

Crime and Public Safety

  • What: While overall violent crime rates have slightly declined, public concern about safety and property crime remains high, particularly in urban areas.

  • Why it matters: Safety perceptions shape neighborhood stability, business investment, and political attitudes toward law enforcement and reform.

  • Facts: Around four in ten Americans rate crime as a “very big problem” in 2025, reflecting persistent unease despite mixed national statistics.

Political

07

Political Division and Partisanship

  • What: Americans remain deeply divided along ideological and cultural lines, with distrust between political parties at historic levels.

  • Why it matters: Polarization blocks compromise and policymaking, eroding confidence in democracy and reducing civic engagement.

  • Facts: Surveys consistently show that more than 60% of adults view “the inability of Democrats and Republicans to work together” as a major problem.

Social/Economic

08

Climate Change and Environmental Issues

  • What: Extreme weather events and environmental disasters have renewed public attention to climate change, clean energy, and sustainability.

  • Why it matters: Environmental degradation affects public health, the economy, and infrastructure. Climate risks also intensify global instability and migration.

  • Facts: A growing majority of Americans, especially younger voters now rate climate change as a top national priority in 2025.

Social/Economic

09

Education and the Cost of College

  • What: Rising tuition, student debt, and debates over curriculum content keep education at the forefront of public concern.

  • Why it matters: Education quality and affordability affect workforce readiness, economic growth, and equal opportunity.

  • Facts: In 2025, roughly half of Americans express serious concern about the affordability of college and K-12 performance gaps.

Social

10

Mental Health and Addiction

  • What: Rates of anxiety, depression, and substance abuse remain elevated after the pandemic. Access to care and stigma continue to hinder treatment.

  • Why it matters: Mental health crises reduce productivity, strain health systems, and increase homelessness and incarceration.

  • Facts: Polling shows strong bipartisan agreement that mental health services are underfunded and urgently needed across the U.S.

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