Public Opinion and Political Climate

A new CBS News/YouGov poll of 2,425 U.S. adults conducted Feb. 3–5, 2026 finds that while most Americans still say prices are rising, fewer feel that way than in the fall, suggesting some see inflation stabilizing even as cost‑of‑living anger persists. Large majorities now say it is harder than for prior generations to buy a house, get a good job or raise a family, and most believe economic opportunities are increasing for the wealthy but shrinking for the middle class, with a widening perceived gap between the richest and everyone else. Views of the broader economy remain downbeat: most respondents expect conditions to get worse in the next year and only about one in five foresee a growing or booming economy, even as higher‑income, stock‑exposed households are far more likely to say their own finances are good. Lower‑income Americans report cutting discretionary spending and say winter utility bills are a hardship, while higher‑income respondents largely plan to maintain their current spending levels. On the jobs front, a majority of workers still feel at least somewhat secure in their positions, but the share feeling very secure has ticked down since October, and most people say finding the kind of job they want would be difficult regardless of their views on AI, with those who expect AI to cut jobs even more pessimistic.