A new survey from Gallup finds that the cost of living remains the most pressing financial concern for Americans, with affordability challenges continuing to dominate household priorities.

According to the poll, 31% of respondents identified cost-of-living pressures as their top financial issue, down from a peak of 41% in 2024 but still among the highest levels recorded in more than two decades of tracking. The figure is roughly in line with last year’s results, indicating sustained concern.

Energy costs emerged as a growing issue, cited by 13% of respondents, an increase of 10 percentage points from a year ago, and the highest level since 2008. That places energy costs alongside housing as the second-most cited financial concern, while healthcare costs ranked fourth at 8%.

Overall, affordability-related issues, including inflation, housing, energy, healthcare, transportation, childcare, and education, far outpaced all other financial concerns. Gallup noted that affordability has now ranked as the top issue for five consecutive years.

A separate Gallup Panel survey found that 55% of Americans say rising prices have caused hardship in maintaining their standard of living, a figure that has remained largely unchanged since 2023.

Americans’ assessments of their personal financial situations have remained relatively stable but subdued. About 46% described their finances as “excellent” or “good,” while 35% said “only fair” and 19% rated them as “poor.” These figures remain below levels seen between 2016 and 2021.

Looking ahead, financial pessimism has increased. A record 55% of respondents said their financial situation is getting worse, up from 47% last year and marking the fifth consecutive year that more Americans report worsening conditions rather than improvement.

Concerns about long-term financial security also remain widespread. The majority of respondents expressed worry about having enough money for retirement and covering medical costs in the event of a serious illness. Significant shares also cited concerns about maintaining their standard of living, paying monthly bills, and affording college.

While inflation has declined from its 2022 peak, economists say elevated prices continue to influence consumer sentiment and financial outlooks.

The findings are based on Gallup’s annual Economy and Personal Finance survey, conducted April 1–15 among a random sample of 1,001 U.S. adults, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.