Most Voters Give Negative Ratings to National and New Jersey Economies, Noting They Have Difficulty Affording Basic Necessities

Half say they are currently “holding steady” financially, but slightly less than half say they are financially worse off than their parents were at the same age, according to a Rutgers-Eagleton Poll

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (Nov. 4, 2025) – New Jersey voters give subpar ratings to both the state and national economies and a growing share say they have difficulty affording basic necessities, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll.

Nearly 7 in 10 likely voters view the national economy negatively: Thirty-seven percent describe it as “poor” and 32% say “only fair.” Twenty-five percent say it is “good” and 5% say “excellent.”

Seven in 10 voters also view New Jersey’s economy negatively, with 28% describing it as “poor” and 42% as “only fair.” Twenty-six percent say the state economy is “good” and 2% say “excellent.”

“For most New Jerseyans, pessimism continues to permeate their views on both the state and national economies,” said Ashley Koning, an assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. “This negativity about the economic and political landscape is rooted in personal, daily experiences. When half of voters say they struggle to afford basics like groceries or utilities, and they’re worse off than their parents financially, it’s clear that affordability remains the defining issue in this race and a central lens through which voters are viewing this year’s gubernatorial election.”

A majority of likely voters give both the national and state economies negative ratings, regardless of gender, race and ethnicity, age, income, and education.

Republicans (60%) are more likely than other partisans to rate the national economy positively (60%). Majorities of independents (75%) and Democrats (92%), on the other hand, rate it negatively. Majorities of Republicans (83%) and independents (74%) view the state economy negatively, while Democrats are split – 46% rate it as “excellent” or “good,” and 52% say it is “only fair” or “poor.”

More than half of voters say the national economy is worse now compared with a year ago (53%). Fifteen percent say it is about the same and 32% say it is better.

Nearly half say New Jersey’s economy also has gotten worse over the last year (49%). Forty-three percent say it is “about the same” and 5% say it has gotten better.

Most Republicans say the national economy has gotten better (70%), while most independents (59%) and Democrats (88%) say it has gotten worse. Half of Republicans say the state economy has gotten worse. Views on the state economy are more mixed: Among Democrats, 50% say it is doing about the same while 45% say worse, 52% of independents say worse while 42% say it is doing the same and 50% of Republicans say worse while 38% say it is about the same.

Difficulty Affording Basic Necessities

The share of New Jerseyans who find it difficult at some level to afford basic costs such as housing, health care, and utilities has increased since these issues were last polled in June.

The largest change in respondent sentiment since June, unsurprisingly, comes with utility bills. Seven in 10 voters say they find it difficult to afford utilities such as electricity and water (30% “very,” 40% “somewhat”) – up 22 points since June.

Among those to whom it was applicable, 7 in 10 say they find it difficult at some level to afford education costs, including student loans (43% “very,” 27% “somewhat”).

Two-thirds of likely voters say they find it difficult to afford groceries and other food (27% “very,” 40% “somewhat”). About two-thirds say the same about affording their rent or mortgage (29% “very,” 37% “somewhat”) – up from 51% in June.

More than 6 in 10 find it difficult to afford health care or medical costs (26% “very,” 37% “somewhat”).

Slightly more than half of voters find it difficult to afford gasoline or other transportation costs (13% “very,” 39% “somewhat”).

“While partisanship is often the focus during gubernatorial campaigns, it matters little for voters’ opinions on the affordability of necessities like housing, health care, and electricity,” said David Martin, a research associate at ECPIP. “Instead, the major differences are by race and ethnicity, income, and education. Nonwhite residents, those living in households making less than $100,000 annually, and those who do not have a college degree find it more difficult to afford costs like housing, health care, and groceries.”

Martin added that younger New Jerseyans, especially those ages 18 to 34, are more likely to say that affording housing costs are very difficult compared with those 65 and older.

Personal Finances

Forty-seven percent of voters say they are worse off than their parents were financially at the same age, a third say they are better off (33%), and 18% say they are doing about the same as their parents were.

As age decreases, likelihood of saying one is worse off than their parent increases. Two-thirds of those ages 18 to 34 say they are worse off financially than their parents were at the same age (67%). On the other hand, half of voters 65 and older say they are better off than their parents (49%).

Likely voters earning less than $100,000 in annual household income are more likely to say they are worse off (53%) than those earning more (42%).

Half of likely voters say they are “holding steady” financially (50%), 43% say they are “falling behind,” and 6% say they are “getting ahead” – these numbers virtually unchanged since June 2025.

Nonwhite voters are more likely to say that they are falling behind financially (53%) compared with white respondents (38%); white voters are more likely to say they are holding steady (54%). Belief that one is falling behind financially decreases as age increases. Those in households less than $100,000 annually (56%) and those with some college education or less schooling (49%) are more likely than their counterparts to say they are falling behind financially.

Why Young Adults Can’t Get Ahead

Voters also note a number of obstacles they say prevent young adults in particular from getting ahead financially nowadays.

Eighteen percent say cost of living is the biggest obstacle and another 18% point to housing affordability specifically. Thirteen percent say the cost of education and student loans, 10% say the job market, and another 10% say income not keeping pace with prices.

Five percent think the biggest obstacle is a lack of work ethic among young adults, 4% say the economy, 3% say taxes, another 3% say lack of preparedness or financial education, and 1% say government policies. Sixteen percent suggest something else.

Income Inequality

More than three-quarters of likely voters agree differences in income in the nation are too large (53% “strongly,” 24% “somewhat”). A majority of voters agree regardless of partisanship, gender, race and ethnicity, age, education, and income.

Voters’ opinions on how to deal with income inequality, however, are more mixed. More than half of all respondents agree that the federal government should take measures to reduce differences in income levels (32% “strongly,” 21% “somewhat”). Four in 10 disagree (27% “strongly,” 13% “somewhat”).

Partisan differences emerge on this item: Seventy-eight percent of Democrats agreed with the idea compared with 56% of independents and 26% of Republicans.

Results are from a statewide poll of 795 voters contacted via live calling and texting from Oct. 3 to Oct. 17. The likely voter sample has a margin of error of +/- 4.7 percentage points. The registered voter sample has a margin of error of +/- 4.6 percentage points.

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