While the pressure of inflation is showing signs of cooling for most household expenses, New Jerseyans are increasingly feeling the squeeze of rising transportation costs, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll.
The survey reveals a state divided by uneven relief: a majority of residents still struggle to afford basic necessities, but while grocery and utility burdens have dipped since last fall, the cost of gasoline is moving in the opposite direction—driven largely by ongoing international conflicts.
Bucking the downward trend seen in other categories, difficulty affording gasoline and transportation costs jumped 5 points since October, now sitting at 59%. This shift is attributed to gas prices nearing or exceeding $4 a gallon amid the current national conflict with Iran.
The increase in transportation-related stress was felt across nearly every demographic, but surged most sharply among:
- Democrats: 12-point increase since October.
- Residents ages 50 to 64: 10-point increase.
- Nonwhite residents and women: Both reported a 6-point increase.
“New Jerseyans feel a slight relief on most everyday costs compared to last fall, but this relief does not extend to the gas pump,” Ashley Koning, director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling said. “This forms a kind of rare consensus… showing just how acutely New Jerseyans are feeling the consequences of the current national conflict.”e
Despite slight overall improvements, the poll highlights a stark “affordability gap” based on race, income, and education. Nonwhite residents and lower-income households are significantly more likely to report “very difficult” living conditions.
| Expenditure Category | Total Difficult | Difficulty Among Black Residents | Difficulty Among Hispanic Residents |
| Education/Student Loans | 68% | 80% | 79% |
| Utilities (Electric/Water) | 63% | 71% (Nonwhite avg) | 71% (Nonwhite avg) |
| Housing (Rent/Mortgage) | 62% | 81% | 74% |
| Healthcare/Medical | 60% | 66% | 77% |
| Gas/Transportation | 59% | 75% | 65% |
| Groceries/Food | 59% | 82% | 69% |
The most significant easing occurred at the grocery store. Reported difficulty in affording food dropped 9 points since October, the largest decrease of any category. Utility bills also saw an 8-point drop in reported difficulty, though relief remains uneven; white residents saw a 12-point drop in utility stress, while nonwhite residents remained essentially steady.
Housing remains a critical pressure point for the vulnerable. While difficulty for those earning over $150,000 stands at 40%, a staggering 81% of those earning under $50,000 find it difficult to keep a roof over their heads.
“Across all six spending areas, nonwhite residents, lower-income households, and those without a four-year college degree consistently report greater difficulty – and in several cases, they are seeing little to no improvement at all,” Koning noted.
The findings are based on a statewide poll of 1,568 adults conducted in late March with a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percentage points.
