Worker insights · 2026 interviews
A directional view of 45 interviews conducted across 10 states.
Who we heard from
Forty-five interviews span 10 states. The current sample is concentrated in Pennsylvania and should be read as qualitative, directional evidence.
Financial priorities
Among the workers we have interviewed, pay was most likely to rank among the top three concerns, followed by weekly bills. Retirement savings ranked third, while rent or mortgage and buying a home tied for fourth.
| Response | Value |
|---|---|
| Pay | 64% |
| Weekly bills | 51% |
| Retirement savings | 44% |
| Rent or mortgage | 42% |
| Buying a home | 42% |
Source: Pulse of the Worker intake survey · n=45 interviewed workers · Share ranking each item among their top three financial concerns
Economic outlook
60% described their own finances as about the same as six months ago, while 56% said workers they know are worse off.
| Response | Value |
|---|---|
| Workers they know: worse off | 56% |
| Personally: worse off | 24% |
| Personally: about the same | 60% |
| Personally: better off | 16% |
Source: Pulse of the Worker interviews · n=45 · Percentages rounded
The American Dream
Among all 45 interviews, 67% said reaching the American Dream is harder; among the 34 asked a follow-up, 62% said it is not attainable for most workers.
| Response | Value |
|---|---|
| Harder to reach | 67% |
| Not attainable for most | 62% |
| Attainable for most | 24% |
| Not sure | 15% |
Source: Pulse of the Worker interviews · n=34–45 · Percentages rounded
Cost of living
Responses combine “very” and “somewhat” confident; uncertainty and low confidence make up the remaining responses.
| Response | Value |
|---|---|
| Confident | 47% |
| Low confidence | 24% |
| Neutral or unsure | 29% |
Source: Pulse of the Worker interviews · n=45 · Percentages rounded
Retirement
About half the workers we asked expressed confidence that they will have enough to retire comfortably; 32% expressed low confidence.
| Response | Value |
|---|---|
| Confident | 48% |
| Low confidence | 32% |
| Neutral or unsure | 20% |
Source: Pulse of the Worker interviews · n=44 · Percentages rounded
Household tradeoffs
About half delayed or skipped at least one expense because of cost in the last 6 months—with bill payments, car repairs, doctor visits, and groceries cited most often.
| Response | Value |
|---|---|
| Delayed at least one expense | 51% |
| Bill payment | 27% |
| Car repair | 24% |
| Doctor visit | 22% |
| Groceries | 22% |
Source: Pulse of the Worker interviews · n=45 · Percentages rounded
Worker priorities
When we asked workers which economic problem they’d want the country’s most powerful politicians to solve, these were their top choices.
| Response | Value |
|---|---|
| Overall cost of living | 39% |
| Affordable housing | 34% |
| Affordable healthcare | 39% |
| Better pay | 18% |
| Affordable childcare | 18% |
Source: Pulse of the Worker interviews · n=38 · Percentages rounded
Pay trajectory
Equal shares of the workers we have spoken with said pay stayed the same or increased (39% each).
| Response | Value |
|---|---|
| Stayed the same | 39% |
| Increased | 39% |
| Decreased | 18% |
Source: Pulse of the Worker interviews · n=38 · Percentages rounded
Institutions
Seven in ten workers say the media do not spend enough time on workers’ economic issues and 79% of those asked say they lack confidence in the government taking action to do anything to help workers
| Response | Value |
|---|---|
| Media coverage: not enough | 71% |
| Government: low confidence | 79% |
| Government: somewhat confident | 6% |
Source: Pulse of the Worker interviews · n=34–45 · Percentages rounded
Ideas
No political party has a majority on the best ideas to improve the lives of the working-class.
| Response | Value |
|---|---|
| Neither | 42% |
| Democrats | 38% |
| No opinion | 13% |
| Republicans | 7% |
Source: Pulse of the Worker interviews · n=45 · Percentages rounded
AI at work
27% said their employer has asked them to use AI; 27% are somewhat concerned about losing their job to it, and another 20% have considered the possibility.
| Response | Value |
|---|---|
| Employer has introduced AI | 27% |
| Expect employer may introduce it | 16% |
| Somewhat concerned | 27% |
| Not concerned | 53% |
Source: Pulse of the Worker interviews · n=45 · Percentages rounded
How to read these findings
These descriptive results summarize completed interview-question records available through September 11, 2026. Bases vary because some questions were introduced later or not answered. Categories were combined only where noted. No names, contact details, links, transcripts, or internal interviewer notes are used here.