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Where price expectations are headed in 2026

Source reportMethodology

Overview

Adults mostly expect prices to keep rising in 2026. About 64% say everyday goods such as groceries and household items will generally increase.

Personal confidence is weaker. About 56% are not confident that their income or savings will keep up with rising prices, compared with 44% who are confident.

Stacked breakdown

64% expect everyday goods to increase in price in 2026.

Thinking about 2026, do you expect the prices of everyday goods (like groceries and household items) to generally…

Increase
63.6%
Decrease
12.2%
Stay the same
21.4%
Not sure
2.8%

2025 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.1%

2026 Predictions Survey #2025-183

View source data

Most expect everyday goods to cost more

About 64% expect the prices of everyday goods to increase in 2026.

Far smaller groups expect prices to decrease at 12% or stay the same at 21%.

Stacked breakdown

56% are not confident their income or savings will keep pace.

How confident are you that your income or savings will keep up with rising prices in 2026?

Very confident
14.0%
Somewhat confident
30.5%
Not very confident
29.8%
Not confident at all
25.7%

2025 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.1%

2026 Predictions Survey #2025-183

View source data

Confidence trails the price outlook

About 30% are somewhat confident and 14% are very confident that income or savings will keep up with rising prices.

The less confident side is larger: 30% are not very confident and 26% are not confident at all.

The pressure is both expected and personal

The paired findings show a public that expects the price environment to get harder and is not fully sure household resources will catch up.

Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Population
United States adults
Field dates
2025-12-22 → 2026-01-05
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.1%
Module
predictions
Sponsor
Verasight
Weight variable
weight for AI and predictions questions; weight_popculture for pop culture questions
Weighting targets
age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status

Sources

[2]

Citation

2026 Predictions Survey #2025-183, fielded December 22, 2025-January 5, 2026, N=1,000 United States adults, +/- 3.1%.

https://reports.verasight.io/r/2026-predictions#everyday-goods-prices

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. When a wave report is published, its field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io. Verified legacy reports remain on their original hosts, and unpublished reports are marked pending.
Transparency
Verasight is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research Transparency Initiative.

The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io; older reports may remain on verified legacy hosts.