A new Rasmussen Reports national survey finds that voters’ top economic worry remains the cost of everyday essentials, even as opinions about former President Donald Trump’s handling of the economy show little change since midsummer.
According to the poll, 46% of likely U.S. voters rate Trump’s performance on economic issues as good or excellent, the same as in July, while 42% give him a poor rating. When asked what aspect of the economy most needs improvement, nearly half of the respondents (47%) pointed to lowering grocery and energy prices.
Jobs and government spending ranked far behind. Seventeen percent (17%) of voters said creating more jobs was most important, while 15% said reducing government spending topped their list. Single-digit percentages cited lowering home prices (8%), boosting the stock market (5%), or raising corporate profits (6%) as priorities.
The survey of 1,220 likely voters was conducted October 15–16 and 19, 2025, with a margin of error of ±3 percentage points and a 95% confidence level. Fieldwork was performed by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC.
Among voters who prioritize lower food and energy prices, 55% give Trump a poor rating on his handling of economic issues.
Partisan divisions remain sharp: 76% of Republicans rate Trump’s economic performance as good or excellent, compared to 70% of Democrats who call it poor. Among unaffiliated voters, opinions are split evenly, with 41% rating Trump’s performance as good or excellent and 41% rating it poor.
Majorities across party lines identified inflation in basic necessities as the key concern—52% of Democrats, 41% of Republicans, and 49% of independents said lower grocery and energy prices are the most urgent need. Roughly one in five Democrats (20%) and 15% of both Republicans and independents said job creation was their top priority. Meanwhile, 19% of Republicans, 9% of Democrats, and 18% of unaffiliated voters emphasized cutting government spending.
Older Americans were more likely than younger voters to give Trump a poor rating on economic issues and also most likely to list grocery and energy prices as their chief concern.
Economic ratings also diverged sharply by income level. Voters earning under $30,000 per year were most likely to rate Trump’s performance poorly, while those with annual incomes above $200,000 were most likely to rate it excellent.
Among those who voted for Trump in the last presidential election, 83% rate his handling of the economy good or excellent. In contrast, 81% of Kamala Harris voters rated him poorly.
The survey also found that most voters have used early in-person voting before but believe it should be limited to two weeks or less before Election Day.
Demographic breakdowns revealed that 48% of white voters, 36% of Black voters, 47% of Hispanic voters, and 41% of other minorities rate Trump’s economic performance as good or excellent. White voters were more focused on lowering grocery and energy prices, while Black and Hispanic voters were more likely to prioritize job growth.
A gender gap also emerged: 53% of men said Trump is handling the economy well, compared to 40% of women. Meanwhile, a majority of women (54%)—compared to 39% of men—said lowering food and energy costs is the most important economic goal.
