During the 2024 presidential election campaign, YouGov asked registered voters their views on eight topics, including the economy — the economic issues that matter most to them, the policies they support, and the candidates they trust.
Among our findings:
- The economy is a leading issue for registered voters; 70% name it as one of their three top concerns. Trump supporters are more likely to prioritize it: 84% say it is a top concern, compared to just 57% of Harris supporters.
- Inflation is the most pressing economic issue among all voters, and particularly among Trump supporters. Roughly as many Harris supporters prioritize Social Security, housing, and income inequality as do inflation. Beyond inflation, Trump supporters focus most on taxes and the national debt.
- Throughout this election cycle, Trump has retained an edge over Harris on his handling of the economy and of inflation. More voters also trust Trump than Harris to handle both taxes and the national debt. Trump is trusted more than Harris for all economic issues that are the top economic concerns among Trump's supporters. Harris outperforms Trump on her handling of income inequality, welfare programs, housing, and consumer protection.
- Harris' specific economic policies included in our poll are more popular, on average, than Trump’s. Each of her eight plans included in the poll are supported by a majority of registered voters, including five that each get at least 60% support: Harris' plans to raise taxes on billionaires, to provide a new tax credit for families with newborns, to increase the minimum wage, to strengthen unions, and to cap grocery prices.
- However, Trump's proposal to eliminate Social Security taxes is the most popular single economic policy we asked about — as well as the most popular among Trump supporters and one of the most popular among Harris supporters. Majorities also back his plans to create a government efficiency commission and to repeal the estate tax. There’s significantly less support for Trump's plans to lower corporate taxes and to deregulate cryptocurrency.
- Majorities of voters recognize that Harris supports each of the eight Democratic policies polled about. The largest shares say they're aware she supports providing down payment assistance for first-time home buyers and raising the minimum wage.
- By contrast, only three of Trump’s policies — a 10% tariff, a ban on mortgages for undocumented immigrants, and lowering the corporate tax rate — are widely recognized as Trump policies. And the economic policies most likely to be associated with Trump are also among his least popular. Fewer than half of voters believe Trump backs each of two policies that are among his most popular: eliminating taxes on Social Security income and creating a government efficiency commission.
Which economic issues do voters care about?
In a series of recent surveys, we asked voters to choose up to three issues that are most important to them out of a list of eight: the economy, health care, immigration, crime, social issues, environment and energy, foreign policy, and education.
To better understand which specific economic issues voters care about, we asked them to select up to three issues from a list of 10 that are most important to them.
Who do voters trust to handle the economy?
Since Harris entered the presidential race against Trump, we've tracked who voters trust more to handle various issues, including the economy and inflation.
In our latest survey, we asked voters to tell us which of 10 economy-related issues they trust Harris and Trump to handle.
Which economic policies do voters support?
We asked voters whether they support or oppose selected economic proposals that have been backed by Harris, Trump, or their respective parties. It was not revealed to respondents which candidate was connected to which policy. The policies come from the 2024 Democratic and Republican Party platforms, as well as publicly available interviews, speeches, debates, and online posts by the candidates. For more sourcing information, see the details provided here.
How familiar are voters with Harris' and Trump's economic agendas?
After providing their opinions on various economic plans, respondents were asked which candidate they think supports each one, with options of Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, both, or neither. Respondents who selected "both candidates" are included as saying both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.
Explore Americans' views on policies across all issue areas:
See other polling related to the economy
- Kamala Harris' economic platform resonates across party lines
- What Americans think about the U.S. economy
- Ahead of rate cuts, fewer Americans were expecting rising inflation
- Two parties with two views of the American economy
- What Americans mean when they talk about 'inflation'
- How's the economy doing? For many Americans, the answer is how their party's doing
- What Americans think about labor unions and their effects
- Americans prefer more, not less, regulation of dozens of major industries
- What Americans know — or think they know — about inflation
- Which types of debt do Americans want the government to provide relief for?
- About half of working Americans believe AI will decrease the number of available jobs in their industry
- Most Americans oppose monopolies and support antitrust laws
- Which sectors of the economy do Americans think are liberal and conservative?
- Americans' most and least favored industries
- Three-quarters of Americans think the federal minimum wage is too low
- Most Americans support raising taxes on billionaires
Curious where voters stand on other issues? Click the links below to learn more.
- Overview of all issues
- Health care
- Immigration
- Crime
- Social issues
- Environment and energy
- Foreign policy
- Education
See the full results for these surveys
See the full list of the policies and their sources
Methodology: This poll was conducted online on September 18 - 20, 2024 among 1,123 U.S. adult citizens, including 1,003 registered voters. Respondents were selected from YouGov’s opt-in panel to be representative of adult U.S. citizens. The sample was weighted according to gender, age, race, education, 2020 election turnout and presidential vote, baseline party identification, and current voter registration status. Demographic weighting targets come from the 2019 American Community Survey. Baseline party identification is the respondent’s most recent answer given prior to November 1, 2022, and is weighted to the estimated distribution at that time (33% Democratic, 31% Republican). The margin of error for the overall sample, as well as for registered voters, is approximately 4%.
Image: Getty
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