New Jerseyans Still Struggle Affording Basic Necessities, but Feel Increasing Pressure at the Pump as Broader Affordability Concerns Ease Slightly

A majority of New Jerseyans continue to struggle to afford basic necessities and, while that difficulty has eased slightly across most categories since last polled in October, residents are increasingly feeling the pain at the gas pump and other transportation costs, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll.

Among New Jerseyans for whom costs were applicable, approximately two-thirds find it difficult to afford education costs, including student loans (68%, down 3 points from October), followed by utility bills (63%, down 8 points), housing (62%, down 6 points), healthcare (60%, down 4 points), gasoline and transportation costs (59%, up 5 points), and groceries and food costs (59%, down 9 points).

Those reporting difficulty affording gasoline and transportation costs have increased since last October - from 54% to 59% - while those reporting no difficulty has fallen by the same margin, from 46% to 41%. The jump in difficulty is consistent across every subgroup, but it is especially sharp among Democrats (12-point increase from October) and those ages 50 to 64 (10-point increase). Difficulty has also ticked up meaningfully among women (6 points), nonwhite residents (6 points), and those with some college education or less schooling (6 points). Republicans are virtually unchanged since October.

"New Jerseyans feel a slight relief on most everyday costs compared to last fall, but this relief does not extend to the gas pump," said Ashley Koning, an assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Pollingat Rutgers University-New Brunswick. "This is no surprise, as gas nears - or even exceeds - $4 a gallon. The jump in reported difficulty in this area cuts across every demographic, forming a kind of rare consensus and showing just how acutely New Jerseyans are feeling the consequences of the current national conflict with Iran."

Nearly three-quarters of those earning under $50,000 (74%) say gas and transportation costs are difficult to afford, compared with 39% of those earning $150,000 or more. Black residents (75%) and Hispanic residents (65%) are more likely to report difficulty than white residents (52%), and nonwhite residents overall have seen a 6-point increase since October. Women (63%) now outpace men (53%) by 10 points. Residents 50 to 64 (up 10 points to 64%) see the sharpest age group increase. Regionally, those living in South Jersey near Philadelphia report the most pressure: 67% say transportation costs are difficult, the highest of any region. Those with some college education or less (up to 67%) remain more likely to report difficulty than those with a college degree or more (up to 59%).

Unlike with gasoline and transportation costs, all other expenditures have seen a bit of a downturn when it comes to difficulty affording them.

Thirty-five percent of New Jerseyans find it "very" difficult (down 8 points since October) and 33% find it "somewhat" (up 5 points) difficult to afford them. Difficulty affording education costs has remained relatively stable since October across most subgroups, though nonwhite residents bucked the trend with a 4-point increase (to 75%), even as white residents saw a 7-point decline (to 62%). Difficulty falls most heavily on Black residents (80%), Hispanic residents (79%), and those with some college education but no degree (78%). Lower-income residents report higher difficulty by double digits than higher-income earners, while women (72%) continue to be more likely than men (63%) to say education costs are difficult.

Twenty-six percent of all New Jerseyans say they find it "very difficult" to afford utilities, such as electricity or water (down 4 points), while 37% find it "somewhat" difficult (down 4 points). Utility costs have eased notably since October for most subgroups, but the relief is uneven.

Fifty-eight percent of white residents now say they have some level of difficulty in this area (a 12-point drop), while nonwhite residents held essentially steady at 71%. Among those earning under $50,000, 79% still report difficulty, virtually unchanged from October. The sharpest declines were among those ages 50 to 64 (down 11 points to 68%), Republicans (down 10 points to 65%), and women (down 9 points to 66%). Women, nonetheless, remain more likely than men (59%) to report difficulty, and those with some college education report the highest difficulty of any education subgroup (74%).

Twenty-eight percent of all residents say it is "very difficult" (down 3 points) and another 34% say "somewhat difficult" (down 3 points) to afford their rent or mortgage. Race and ethnicity drive some of the largest divides on housing costs. Eight in 10 Black residents (81%) and nearly three-quarters of Hispanic residents (74%) say it is difficult to afford rent or mortgage payments, compared with just over half of white residents (55%, down 8 points since October). The income gap is similarly stark: 81% of those earning under $50,000 say housing costs are difficult to afford, compared with 40% of those earning $150,000 or more. Younger residents also feel housing pressure most acutely: 68% of those ages 18 to 34 say it is difficult, down 13 points since October, and another 68% among those 35 to 49, up 3 points since October, agree. Those 65 and older report the least difficulty (48%). Residents without a four-year college degree are more likely to struggle than those with one.

Twenty-six percent of New Jerseyans say it is "very difficult" (down 2 points) and another 34% say "somewhat difficult" (down 2 points) to afford healthcare or medical costs. Hispanic residents report the highest levels of difficulty affording healthcare of any racial or ethnic group - 77% say it is difficult, compared with 66% of Black residents and 55% of white residents. Lower-income residents feel this burden heavily as well: 76% of those earning under $50,000 say healthcare costs are difficult to afford, compared with 39% of those earning $150,000 or more. The largest easing since fall is among those ages 18 to 34 (down 10 points to 61%) and those ages 50 to 64 (down 6 points to 64%

Twenty percent say it is "very difficult" and another 39% say it is "somewhat difficult" to afford groceries and food costs. Grocery costs have eased more broadly since October than any other category. Reported difficulty among white residents has seen a 12-point drop (to 53%), while nonwhite residents see a smaller 6-point drop (to 66%). On grocery and food costs, there is now 13-point racial gap, nearly double the 7-point gap found in October. Black residents report the highest difficulty of any group (82%), followed by Hispanic residents (69%).

The income divide is also wide: 79% of those earning under $50,000 report difficulty with groceries and food costs compared with 38% of those earning $150,000 or more. Women (61%, down 13 points) saw a larger easing than men (55%, down 6 points), though both groups still report majority-level difficulty.

"Even though some of these everyday affordability pressures have eased slightly across all New Jerseyans, the burden is still far greater for some more than others," Koning said. "Across all six spending areas, nonwhite residents, lower-income households, and those without a four-year college degree consistently report greater difficulty - and in several cases, they are seeing little to no improvement at all."

Results are from a statewide poll of 1,568 adults contacted through the probability-based Rutgers-Eagleton/SSRS Garden State Panel from March 27 to March 30. The full sample has a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percentage points.