What Americans Are Most Concerned About — Updated April 2026
This list is built from Pew Research Center, Gallup, and AP-NORC polling data. Every story in our daily briefing is tagged to one of these 10 issues — click any issue to see today's stories.
Polling notes last updated Apr 21, 12:04 AM
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How expensive everyday life has become (groceries, housing, gas, etc.) and who or what is to blame. Democrats want more government help and taxes on the wealthy. Republicans want lower taxes and less regulation.
How many people should be allowed to enter the U.S., how to handle asylum claims, and how secure the southern border should be. Big divide between humanitarian focus and strong enforcement.
How to make health insurance and medical care affordable. Democrats favor expanding government programs. Republicans prefer market-based solutions and reforming the ACA.
The U.S. government spends far more than it collects in taxes. Debate is about whether to cut spending, raise taxes, or keep borrowing.
How to reduce crime, especially in cities. Left focuses on root causes and police reform. Right emphasizes law and order and more policing.
Whether climate change requires urgent government regulation or if the focus should be on affordable energy and innovation.
Whether abortion should be legal nationwide, decided by states, or heavily restricted. One of the most emotional divides.
How much gun control is needed versus protecting the constitutional right to bear arms.
What should be taught in schools, how much funding they get, and whether parents or government have more say (including school choice and curriculum debates).
Should the U.S. focus on 'America First,' strong alliances, or reducing overseas involvement? Includes military spending and wars.
How much the wealthy and corporations should be taxed and whether the system is fair.
The growing tendency to see the other political side as a threat rather than just disagreeing on policy. Makes compromise difficult.
How news outlets and social media algorithms push people into bubbles by showing them only confirming information and emotional content.
Concerns about election integrity, voting access, and whether institutions (courts, media, Congress) are trustworthy or biased.
Whether tariffs protect American jobs or raise prices and hurt consumers. Includes U.S.-China trade tensions.
How much government should regulate artificial intelligence versus letting innovation happen freely.
Why housing is so expensive and whether zoning laws, rent controls, or more building is the solution.
Whether Social Security and other entitlement programs are sustainable long-term and how to fix them.
Whether to emphasize treatment/harm reduction or strict enforcement and border control to stop fentanyl deaths.
Debate over whether systemic racism still requires special policies (DEI, reparations) or if color-blind merit-based approaches are better.
How society should handle transgender rights, especially regarding sports, youth medical decisions, and parental rights.
Rules around voter ID, mail-in ballots, same-day registration, and preventing fraud versus maximizing access.
How much to spend on roads, bridges, internet, and whether projects should prioritize 'green' goals or practical needs.
Tension between protecting free speech and restricting hate speech, misinformation, or harmful content on platforms.
How much power the federal government should have versus leaving decisions to individual states.
About This List
These 10 issues were identified by cross-referencing Pew Research Center's "Most Important Problems" surveys, Gallup's annual "Most Important Issue" tracking, and AP-NORC public opinion polling. The list reflects what a broad cross-section of Americans — across party lines — consistently identify as their top concerns. Rankings are reviewed quarterly. Read our full methodology →