Exclusive: most renters surveyed by Harris Poll say the areas they live in have become so unaffordable they are ‘barely livable’

Exclusive: most renters surveyed by Harris Poll say the areas they live in have become so unaffordable they are ‘barely livable’

The poll, conducted by the Harris Poll Thought Leadership and Future Practice, asked survey takers to identify themselves as renters or homeowners, along with other demographic information. Those polled were asked their opinion on home ownership in the United States. For many, especially renters, the outlook is bleak.

Though the vast majority of renters polled said they want to own a home in the future, 61% said they are worried they will never be able to. A similar percentage believe no matter how hard they work, they’ll never be able to afford a home.

“When you think about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and housing is right at that foundational level of security, the implications on consumer psyche when things feel so unaffordable is something that will impact everyone,” said Libby Rodney, chief strategy officer at Harris Poll. The American dream of owning a home “is looking more like a daydream for renters”.

  • pixxelkick@lemmy.world
    0·
    8 months ago

    I wonder if you’ll sing a different tune after the next rounds of tech layoffs.

    I am completely unaffected by this, as I am not clinging to the hulls of sinking ships.

    A perfect example of this is actually people who stayed in the same exurban area and work similar jobs to the generation before them. I have relatives that are teachers, and former neighbors who are teachers. Wanna guess which generation is barely making ends meet in a shitty little house and which is living fat and rich next to engineering and management neighbors?

    Local internet denizen struggles to grasp that wealth is accrued over time, more news at 11.

    If you keep comparing apples to oranges, you’ll never be happy.

    Also, to flip it around, if you ask both if those households what budgeting tools they use, do you think you’ll get similar answers?

    I’d strongly bet the the folks struggling will go “what do you mean”? And those doing well will go “We use x”

    I’d also bet if you open the two households fridges and cupboards you’ll get extremely different results that help shed some light on the situation.

    I have so many, so many friends my age that complain about money, then I visit their home abd see their fridge and I instantly think “oh, well, now I see why they are having issues…”

    It’s become very difficult to not just assume it’s either budget issues, or a total lack of willing to change location/job. It’s pretty much always one of those two.

    The times I’ve seen people complain about it, and then their car has a bunch of fast food wrappers in it is endless. It’s a plague.

    And I don’t necessarily blame them. I blame the lack of support networks, schooling, etc, that didn’t teach them how to manage their lives. The wests’ school systems churn kids out like a factory.

    It’s not impossible to claw your way out, but a lot if wealthy people 100% want you to think it is so you don’t even try.

    Instilling apathy is such a powerful form of control and oppression. Why bother? You can’t do it. Give up. You’ll never afford things. Just keep buying random pick me ups off Amazon instead.

    Reminder that the same wealthy individuals that control nearly every source of news and info you consume also are heavily invested in city infrastructure.

    The news outlets you consume from have a vested interest in keeping you thinking clawing your way up and out is impossible