Poll: Majority of Americans Say Health Care, Vacation and New Car Are Unaffordable
Feb 27th 2026
An ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll finds large shares of Americans say major expenses are out of reach, many doubt they can buy a home, and nearly half carry some debt.
- 74% say a new car is unaffordable for their household.
- 60% say a weeklong vacation is unaffordable and 56% say health care is unaffordable.
- About two thirds of non-homeowners say they do not think they can afford to buy a home in the foreseeable future.
- Non-homeowners under 50 are more optimistic than those 50 and older, and those with household incomes of $100,000 or more are more likely to expect to buy a home.
- 46% of Americans report at least some debt, including 15% who say they have a lot of debt.
- 53% say they have just enough to maintain their standard of living, 28% say they are getting ahead, and 17% say they are falling behind financially.
- Voters who say they are getting ahead favor Republicans for the House, while those falling behind favor Democrats.
- Black and Hispanic adults report higher shares with debt than white and Asian adults, and lower‑income households report more unaffordability for every item asked.
- The poll of 2,589 U.S. adults was conducted Feb. 12-17, 2026, by Ipsos KnowledgePanel for ABC News and The Washington Post, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.