A growing number of Americans are putting their lives on hold—postponing having children, getting married, or buying a home—as financial pressure mounts under Donald Trump’s economic policies.
“We just can’t do it anymore,” one respondent told pollsters in a new Harris survey published by The Guardian. That frustration is echoed across the country, where six in ten Americans say the economy has forced them to change or delay a major life goal.
Trump’s economic agenda, still in its early stages, is already rattling household plans. While the president pushes new tariffs and floats ideas like a $5,000 “baby bonus” to boost birth rates, everyday Americans say those promises are drowned out by rising costs and financial uncertainty.
For those hoping to start or grow their families in 2025, the economy has become a dealbreaker. One in three say they now can’t afford to have a child, while another third say they don’t feel comfortable bringing a child into this economic climate.
Homeownership, long seen as a pillar of the American dream, is increasingly out of reach. Nearly half of Americans said they wanted to buy a home—but three in four of them say the economy has stopped them. Soaring home prices, driven by the post-pandemic housing boom, haven’t come back down. And while mortgage rates have eased slightly, the average 30-year rate in March was still 6.7%—more than double what it was four years ago.
Younger generations are being hit hardest. 68% of Gen Z and millennial renters say buying a home is a goal. But unlike older Americans—many of whom already own property—they’re locked out by high prices and rising interest rates. Just 29% of older renters say they still plan to buy.
The number one obstacle? The cost of living.
65% say it’s gotten worse since the start of the year. Half say they’re struggling to keep up with everyday expenses. 78% report paying more at the grocery store. And 60% say their monthly bills and essentials are getting more expensive.
Even Republicans, who generally back Trump, are noticing. Nearly half—48%—say the cost of living has risen in 2025. Still, they remain more optimistic about the economy than they were under Biden. In May 2024, 67% of Republicans said the U.S. was in a recession. This year, only 40% say the same.
Democrats, on the other hand, are more pessimistic. 59% now believe the country is in a recession, up from 49% last year. For independents, 64% believe the economy is getting worse, a shift that should worry Trump as he courts swing voters.
The public doesn’t seem to buy Trump’s claims that tariffs will “make America wealthy again.” Instead, tariffs are now seen as the single biggest threat to household finances in 2025, topping the list of concerns for nearly one in three Americans—including 39% of Democrats, 28% of independents, and even 21% of Republicans.
Government policies more broadly were also blamed, especially by independents. 24% say they expect policy decisions to hurt them financially in the year ahead.
