TL/DR –
According to a survey, the American public sees inflation and healthcare costs as the biggest problems facing the country, with 62% and 60% respectively identifying them as very big problems. Other issues of concern include partisan cooperation (57%), drug addiction (55%), and gun violence (53%). The perception of inflation being a significant issue has decreased since 2022 when 70% viewed it as a big problem, with 62% seeing it as a problem now.
Top Issues of Concern in the US: Inflation and Health Care Costs
Up to 62% of Americans are highly concerned about inflation, and an equal proportion (60%) are equally worried about the steep costs of health care, marking these two issues as the most significant problems facing the nation.
Other challenges such as partisan cooperation (57%), drug addiction (55%), and gun violence (53%) also worry large portions of the population. Concerns about violent crime (51%), the federal deficit (49%), moral values (48%), and the quality of public K-12 schools (46%) are not far behind.
Issues like illegal immigration, climate change, and racism, while still pressing, rate lower on the public’s list of top problems. However, majorities still perceive these among other issues as moderately significant problems.
Shifts in Public Perception of Critical Issues
Inflation has consistently been a major concern for Americans as reflected in 2023 and 2022 surveys by Pew Research Center, though it is perceived as less of an issue today (62%) compared to 2022 (70%).
Partisan Views on Inflation
Regarding inflation, 80% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents perceive it as a substantial issue, compared to 46% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents. This represents a slight increase from 77% to 80% among Republicans and a decrease among Democrats over the past year.
Views on Federal Deficit, Unemployment, and Illegal Immigration
The federal budget deficit is another top issue for the public, with 53% seeing it as a significant problem. However, the partisan divide is evident here as well, with 71% of Republicans compared to 35% of Democrats considering the deficit a major issue.
Unemployment is seen as a major problem by a quarter of Americans, including similar proportions of Republicans (27%) and Democrats (22%). The public’s concern about illegal immigration has increased slightly to 51% from 47% in the past year.
Perceptions of Crime and Gun Violence
The public’s concern about crime and gun violence has decreased over the past year. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to see gun violence as a significant issue (68% vs 27%), while Republicans are more likely than Democrats to consider violent crime a major problem (56% vs 39%).
Views on Climate Change and Racism
About a third of Americans (36%) consider climate change a significant problem, a decline from previous years. Similar declines are seen in attitudes towards racism, with 29% of Americans currently seeing it as a significant problem, compared to 45% in 2021.
For more detailed insights into the public’s views on these and other issues, please visit the report overview.
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