Voters 50+ Have Had Enough. New AARP Survey Reveals Why

If you’ve left the grocery store recently having spent twice as much as normal but feeling like you didn’t buy anything, you’ve got plenty of company. A new AARP survey asked voters in the nation’s most competitive congressional districts what’s influencing their vote this November. Regardless of age and party line, the answer is the higher cost of everyday life.

The survey contains numbers and data for every conceivable voter concern. We’re highlighting the issues that matter most to voters 50 and older; you can read the full report here.

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Who AARP polled

AARP hired two polling firms to conduct the survey collaboratively: Fabrizio Ward, which works with Republicans, and Impact Research, which works with Democrats. Pairing firms representing both major parties helps prevent a poll’s questions (and results) from skewing too far in one direction or the other.

The firms surveyed 1,368 likely voters between October 1 and October 5, 2026. Everyone lived in one of 43 House districts that the Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election forecaster, rates as a toss-up or leaning only toward one party. These are the races most likely to decide which party controls Congress.

A quick caveat: This poll only covers these 43 districts and isn’t a snapshot of the entire country.

The mood: Worried and ready to vote

Voters in these districts feel less than optimistic about where the country is headed. About 62% say the country’s going in the wrong direction. Almost 60% say they’re worried about their own finances.

Older voters are slightly less concerned about money than younger ones:

• 55% of voters 50+ say they’re worried compared to 66% of voters under 50.
• Women 50+ are more worried than men 50+ (62% vs. 47%).

Whether worried or not, these citizens plan to vote. Asked to rate their motivation to vote on a scale of 0 to 10, 83% of voters 50+ said “10.” Among voters 65 and older, 88% have voted or will vote; 66% of voters under 50 plan to vote.

The poll asked about three sets of national leaders, and more voters disapprove than approve of each one:

• President Trump: 42% approve/ 56% disapprove (Net -14)
• Republicans in Congress: 38%/ 58% disapprove (Net -20)
• Democrats in Congress: 31% approve/ 63% disapprove (Net -32)

The race: too close to call

When asked which party’s candidate they’d vote for in their House race, 49% said the Democrat, 46% said the Republican, and 5% were undecided. That 3-point difference is within the poll’s margin of error (+/- 2.7 points), so neither side has a clear edge.

Age stands out here. Voters 50+ lean Republican (53% to 43%, a 10-point GOP advantage) while voters under 50 lean Democratic (60% to 34%, a 26-point Democratic advantage). For context, President Trump carried these same districts by about 6 points in 2024.

The issues: prices first

Pollsters gave voters a list of 12 issues and asked them to choose the first two that matter most to their vote. These issues were chosen most frequently as a first or second choice.

Issue	All voters	Voters 50+
Rising prices and affordability	42%	36%
Threats to democracy	28%	29%
Immigration and border security	23%	26%
Taxes, government spending and debt	22%	24%
Social Security and Medicare	15%	21%
Foreign policy and military defense	17%	18%

Rising prices topped the list across all ages polled. As expected, older voters were more likely than younger voters to choose Social Security and Medicare (21% vs. 6% among voters under 50).

Party affiliation was a factor, too. Threats to democracy ranked higher among democratic voters; immigration and taxes ranked higher among republican voters.

Which prices worry people the most

The firms asked voters to name the two rising costs that concern them most.

• Voters 50+ identified groceries (42%), gas (41%), and healthcare (33%).
• Voters 65+ identified gas (37%) and healthcare (35%).
• Younger voters (ages 18 to 34) identified housing costs as their top concern.

What voters 50+ prioritize as most important

AARP asked voters how important the following issues are to their vote. These percentages represent voters who identified each as “extremely” or “very important.”

1. Social Security: 83%
2. Rising cost of groceries, gas, and other essentials: 80%
3. Cost of healthcare: 80%
4. Medicare: 76%
5. Policies helping seniors age-in-place: 75%
6. Cost of prescription drugs: 66%

Social Security’s top spot makes sense given how many households rely on it. Nearly 60% of voters 50+ say that Social Security will be (or already is) a major source of household income. Among voters older than 65, that number climbs to 70%.

Positions that could sway older voters

The survey also asked voters whether certain positions would make them more or less likely to support a candidate. Large majorities said they’d be more likely to back someone who supports:

• Ensuring workers receive the Social Security they paid into: 94%.
• Protecting Social Security from cuts, including smaller payments, smaller annual increases, or a higher retirement age: 85%
• Empowering Medicare to negotiate lower prices on more prescription drugs: 85%.

These results were similar across party affiliations. Among Republicans, Independents, and Democrats 50+, at least 6 in 10 said each position would make them more likely to support a candidate. It’s worth noting that AARP, which paid for this survey, also advocates for these policies.

A rare bipartisan common ground

Caregiving hits close to home for many of these voters — half said they are or have been a family caregiver for an older or ill adult or someone with a disability, a number that jumps to 58% of women over 50. Many of these voters are in the sandwich generation, juggling the emotional and financial strain of raising kids or supporting grown children while also caring for aging parents.

While voters in these 43 toss-up districts are sharply divided along party lines on national leadership and traditional issues, family caregiving connects the two sides. A healthy majority of older Republicans, Independents, and Democrats agree that they’re more likely to support candidates who back financial relief for unpaid family caregivers.

• Offering a tax credit for unpaid family caregivers to help offset costs: 77% (70% Republicans, 72% Independents, 90% Democrats).
• Providing support for family caregivers helping loved ones age-in-place: 75% (69% Republicans, 70% Independents, 91% Democrats).
• Securing paid leave so family caregivers don’t lose their jobs or pay: 73% (62% Republicans, 70% Independents, 91% Democrats).

Some voters remain undecided

Just over 20% of voters have yet to commit fully to either party’s candidate. The pollsters call them persuadable voters, and in close races, they often decide the outcome.

About half (49%) of older persuadable voters are independents, 32% are republicans, and 19% are democrats. Their top concerns include rising prices, Social Security and Medicare, and taxes and government spending. Two in three say they’re worried about their personal finances.

Election Day is this coming Tuesday, thank goodness. It’s time to bid all the ads a not-so-fond farewell! Visit vote.gov to double-check your registration, polling place, or early voting options.