81% say rising food and gas prices are a big problem; 72% cite housing; 69% cite healthcare
December 17, 2025, Washington, D.C. – A new survey from the National Parents Union (NPU) released today finds widespread frustration with President Donald Trump’s handling of economic policy, with everyday costs driving how they judge the economy and what they demand from the nation’s leaders.
The extent of economic pain is particularly acute this holiday season as 25% struggle to pay for basic necessities, and only 36% can pay for the basics and still have money left over.
Parents Report the Biggest Hits are Basic Essentials.
“Can we get real for a minute? Parents are not living in an economic recovery, they’re living in an economic crisis,” said Keri Rodrigues, President of the National Parents Union. “If you want to understand the real economy, it’s time to make good on the promise of listening to families, not Wall Street. When one in four parents is struggling to afford basic necessities, that’s a five-alarm fire. Rent, grocery, and the costs are keeping families up at night, wondering how they’ll make ends meet. That’s the real state of our economy. It’s time to stop the economic gaslighting of American families.”
Parents Define the Economy as Prices, Period.
When asked what matters most in judging the economy, parents overwhelmingly point to prices and cost of living (45%), far ahead of wages/jobs (11%) or stock market performance (2%).
Parents are Nearly Unanimous that Elected Leaders should Focus on Affordability.
“Parents are not looking for a lecture from Donald Trump and JD Vance. We’re asking for relief,” Rodrigues continued. “Instead of wasting taxpayer dollars on embarrassingly oversized ballrooms, let’s try focusing on doing something real to lower the costs that hit families every single week and addressing the impending healthcare cost crisis that is ready to hit American families like a tsunami of pain we can see coming any minute. That would be putting Americans first.”
A majority of parents (51%) disapprove of how President Trump is handling the economy with 35% saying they strongly disapprove, and nearly half (46%) say his economic policies have made their own financial situation worse.
For more information or to schedule an interview with NPU leadership, contact: [email protected]
National Parents Union Survey
Survey of N=1,516 parents of public school students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade nationwide using non-probability sampling.
Field Dates: December 10-15, 2025
Margin of Error: ± 2.6 Percentage Points
Click here for toplines.
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ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARENTS UNION
With more than 1,800 affiliated parent organizations in all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, the National Parents Union is the united, independent voice of modern American families. We channel the power of parents into powerful policies that improve the lives of children, families and communities across the United States. https://nationalparentsunion.org/