Young Americans Say Housing Is a Crisis — What Comes Next?

Young Americans Say Housing Is a Crisis — What Comes Next?

The American dream is under strain for many younger adults, who increasingly view the rising cost of basic needs such as housing and groceries as a full-scale crisis. A new Rasmussen Reports and Heartland Institute poll of 1,496 likely voters aged 18–39 from across the United States highlights the depth of that anxiety and how it is reshaping political preferences among young people.

Housing Tops the List of Concerns. Notably, 74 percent of respondents in that age group said the cost of housing has reached a crisis level. That concern is widespread—not limited to urban enclaves—but felt by young people in rural, suburban and urban areas alike. The view crosses income and education lines, including respondents earning more than $200,000 and those with graduate degrees, and it includes large numbers of self-identified conservatives and Republicans.

"Over 21 million renter households spent more than 30 percent of their income on housing costs in 2023, representing nearly half (49.7 percent) of the 42.5 million renter households in the United States," the U.S. Census Bureau noted in 2024.

Homeowners face related pressures from rising property taxes, higher insurance premiums and other less-visible housing expenses. When a widespread social problem exists, acknowledging it clearly is the essential first step toward finding solutions—politically and practically.

Political Implications and Popular Remedies. Zohran Mamdani, the mayor-elect of New York City, made affordability the centerpiece of his campaign and won nearly 80 percent of the city's youth vote by promising aggressive steps to lower living costs. Many young voters back sweeping measures: the Rasmussen–Heartland poll shows more than half of respondents in this cohort support expanding government housing and instituting a nationwide rent freeze; intriguingly, 56 percent of self-identified conservatives indicated support for those measures.

Critics warn that measures such as rent freezes and rapidly expanded government housing, if poorly designed, can create distortions in supply and investment that may ultimately worsen affordability. Meanwhile, simple, market-oriented proposals have garnered support from policy advocates as alternatives to blunt interventions.

Market-Based Policy Options. A comprehensive approach to improving affordability could include supply-side and regulatory reforms: revising restrictive zoning and environmental rules that limit housing supply, streamlining permitting and construction approvals, reducing needless regulatory burdens, and reevaluating property tax structures to ease housing costs for residents and owners. These policy levers can be pursued at local, state and federal levels in combination.

Pragmatism Over Partisanship. The poll also suggests young voters are pragmatic. While a slim majority—51 percent—said they would like to see a democratic socialist win the White House in 2028, many respondents prioritize concrete solutions over party labels: 42 percent of Democrats said they would support a Republican presidential candidate who offered the best plan to reduce housing costs, and 45 percent of Republicans said they would back a Democratic candidate with the strongest housing plan.

That willingness to cross party lines indicates opportunity for candidates and policymakers who can present credible, actionable plans to lower the cost of living. The debate over means—whether market-driven reforms, targeted public investment, or a hybrid approach—will shape elections and housing markets in the years ahead.

About the Author
Chris Talgo is Editorial Director at the Heartland Institute.