New Jerseyans Report More Difficulty Affording Everyday Necessities

Eight in 10 rate the national economy negatively, while three-quarters say the same of the state

New Jerseyans are reporting even deeper struggles affording basic costs these days than earlier this year, and negative feelings about the state and national economies continues to be negative, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll.

Residents report feeling the pinch of the economy in their personal finances. Among those to whom costs were applicable, about three-quarters find it either "very" or "somewhat" difficult to afford education costs, including student loans (45% "very," up 10 points since it was last polled in March, and 29% "somewhat," down 4 points) and childcare expenses (46% "very" and 27% "somewhat," a new measure).

About two-thirds find it difficult to afford gasoline and transportation costs (34% "very," up 10 points, and 32% "somewhat," down 3 points) and housing costs (32% "very," up 4 points, and 33% "somewhat," down 1 point). About 6 in 10 have difficulty affording healthcare and medical costs (31% "very," up 5 points, and 32% "somewhat," down 2 points), utility bills (28% "very," up 2 points, and 33% "somewhat," down 4 points), and groceries and food costs (26% "very," up 6 points, and 35% "somewhat," down 4 points).

Overall difficulty has risen since March in five of the six categories the Poll tracks, and the shift is sharpest at the most severe end of the scale. Since March, the share of residents saying the cost of an item or service is "very difficult" to afford is up 10 points for both education and gasoline and transportation, 6 points for groceries, 5 points for healthcare, 4 points for housing and 2 points for utility bills. Increases in intensity on education, gasoline and transportation, groceries and healthcare are statistically significant; changes in housing and utility bills aren't.

"What we are seeing is less about how many New Jerseyans are struggling and more about how intense the struggle is," said Ashley Koning, an assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Pollingat Rutgers University-New Brunswick. "In most categories the overall numbers moved only slightly, if at all. The real movement is underneath them: in every single category we track, fewer residents call these costs 'somewhat difficult' and more call them 'very difficult.' Difficulty may be spreading to some extent, but more than that, it is deepening."

Personal financial struggles go hand in hand with New Jerseyans' views on economic conditions. More than three-quarters of residents have a negative view of the state economy, with 35% calling it "poor" and 42% calling it "only fair," while 18% rate it as "good" and 1% as "excellent." Overall negativity is up 2 points since March, when last polled, though the share calling the state economy "poor" has increased by 6 points.

New Jerseyans feel even more negatively about the national economy: Eight in 10 give the national economy subpar ratings, with more than half (51%) saying it is "poor" and 29% "only fair." Sixteen percent say the national economy is "good" and 2% say "excellent." Overall negativity remains relatively consistent from March, increasing by 1 point, though the share calling the national economy "poor" has increased by 5 points.

"New Jerseyans have been sour on the economy, especially the national one, for some time now, and nothing in these numbers suggests that mood is lifting," said Koning. "What is striking, however, is how views on the two are differently shaped. Party is the main driver of how someone rates the national economy, whereas partisans look nearly identical on the state economy."

Democrats and independents are more pessimistic about the national economy than Republicans, though a majority of Republicans still view the economy negatively. Ninety-one percent of Democrats (65% "poor," 26% "only fair") and 85% of independents (56% "poor," 29% "only fair") give the national economy a negative rating, compared with 55% of Republicans (20% "poor," 35% "only fair").

There are no statistically significant differences in the way the different parties rate New Jersey's economy.

Across groups by gender, race and ethnicity, age, income, region and education, 7 in 10 or more give a negative rating to both the state economy and national economy.

Affordability by Key Demographics

Race and ethnicity drive the widest gaps across every category. Black and Hispanic residents are far more likely than white residents to say these costs are at least "somewhat difficult" to afford: Groceries and food (75% of Black residents and 85% of Hispanic residents, versus 53% of white residents), utility bills (79% and 84%, versus 51%), housing (82% and 82%, versus 54%), gasoline and transportation (84% and 83%, versus 59%), and healthcare and medical costs (70% and 83%, versus 55%). Residents of another race or ethnicity fall between these groups on most items, from 59% on groceries to 69% on healthcare. Among those for whom these costs apply, non-white residents are also more likely than white residents to report difficulty affording education costs (81% versus 66%) and childcare (80% versus 64%).

Income separates residents just as sharply. Those earning $50,000 or less are the most likely to report difficulty in every category, including 83% on both housing and groceries and 84% on utilities, and difficulty declines steadily as income rises. On education and childcare, the dividing line falls at $100,000: 82% of those earning less than that say childcare is difficult to afford, compared with 60% of those earning more.

Educational attainment follows the same pattern. Residents with some college education or less are more likely than those with a four-year degree or more to report difficulty affording healthcare, utilities, groceries, gasoline and transportation, and childcare (80% versus 66%).

Age cuts in both directions. Difficulty generally declines as residents get older, and those 65 and older are the least likely of any age group to struggle with housing (42%), groceries and food (44%) and utility bills (48%). Education costs follow the same pattern. Childcare is the exception: Residents 50 and older are more likely than those 49 and younger to say it is difficult to afford (77% versus 61%).

Gender and geography matter on specific costs. Women are more likely than men to report at least some difficulty affording housing (68% versus 60%). Residents in New Jersey's urban areas are less likely than those elsewhere to report difficulty affording gasoline and transportation costs, though half (50%) still say these costs are at least "somewhat difficult."

Results are from a statewide poll of 1,004 adults contacted through the probability-based Rutgers-Eagleton/SSRS Garden State Panel from Sept. 24 to Sept. 27. The full sample has a margin of error of +/- 4.1 percentage points.