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Five Charts Show How Americans Feel About the Economy Before the Midterms
Charts show Americans' economic frustration ahead of Tuesday's midterm elections, as prices and mortgage rates climb.
Key points
- Inflation jumped to 3.7% in September while wages rose 3% from a year earlier, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Regular gas prices are now well above $4 a gallon, compared with $2.98 right before the war with Iran, according to AAA.
- The average single-family home price was $422,700 in September, according to the National Association of Realtors.
Why it matters. Rising prices and mortgage rates may keep many Americans priced out of the housing market, which could shape how voters feel about the economy at the midterm polls.
Millions of Americans will vote in the midterm elections on Tuesday, and the economy ranks as the issue that matters most to voters in a recent NBC News Decision Desk Poll. Inflation jumped to 3.7% in September while wages rose just 3% from a year earlier, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Regular gas prices are now well above $4 a gallon, and the 30-year fixed mortgage rate is well above 7%, after dipping below 6% just before the Iran war, according to Freddie Mac.
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Five Charts Show How Americans Feel About the Economy Before the Midterms
Americans will vote in the midterm elections on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, and the economy is a leading concern. NBC News frames the vote around whether voters feel better off than they did two years ago. A recent NBC News Decision Desk Poll found that the economy ranked as a top issue for many respondents. NBC News illustrates the state of the economy with five charts. The analysis is intended to help readers weigh the economic record ahead of the election.