Just 37% Better Off Than 4 Years Ago; New Low

Publication Date: 10/15/2026 1:31 PM CST

Just 37% Better Off Than 4 Years Ago; New Low

Publication: 10/15/2026 1:31 PM CST

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Just 37% of voters say they are better off than 4 years ago. This is a new low for President Trump since returning to office, and down 3 points from July. Six-in-10 (59%) say they are not better off, up 5 from July, and a new high.

In February 2026, 48% of voters said they were better off, and 44% said they were not. That was the first time since 2023 that more voters reported being better off than not, though there were still clear income divides. By April, shortly after the war in Iran began, the numbers had reversed course (44% better, 49% not), and the trend has continued as the Iran conflict drags on.

While 66% of Trump-policy voters say they are better off, a majority (56%) of Traditional Republican voters disagree. The number of Tradition GOP voters saying they are better off has dropped 7 points, and the number saying they are not has gone up 5.

Among Main Street Voters*, 35% say they are better off, down 1 since July, and 61% say they are not, up 4. But the pinch seems to be catching up to Elite and Elite Adajent Voters as well: 42% report being better off, down 6 from July, and a majority (51%) now say they are not, up 3 points.

Inflation Numbers Return to Biden Era

The President also continues to struggle on inflation. Just 29% of voters say their income has kept up with it, which is 2 points lower than under Biden in November of 2024. That number is identical to July. Meanwhile, 7-in-10 (68%) report their income has not kept up with inflation. That is up 5 points from July.

Sixty-three percent (63%) believe inflation is primarily due to the policies and rhetoric of the president. That is the highest we have measured and up 10 points since July, likely spurred by the unpopular war in Iran. Just 3 in 10 (31%) say inflation is due to issues beyond the president's control. That is down 6 points from July, and down 8 from when Biden left office.

This data is from a Napolitan News Service survey of 1,000 Registered Voters conducted online by Scott Rasmussen, October 12-13, 2026. RMG Research, Inc., conducted the field work for the survey. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.1.