The data in this report are based on a nationally representative survey of 1,060 American adults, aged 18 and older. Results are reported for the subset of 930 registered voters who participated in the survey. The survey was conducted April 17-26, 2026. All questionnaires were self-administered by respondents in a web-based environment. The median completion time for the survey was 23 minutes.
The sample was drawn from the Ipsos KnowledgePanel®, an online panel of members drawn using probability sampling methods. Prospective members are recruited using a combination of random digit dial and address-based sampling techniques that cover virtually all (non-institutional) residential phone numbers and addresses in the United States. Those contacted who would choose to join the panel but do not have access to the Internet are loaned computers and given Internet access so they may participate.
The sample therefore includes a representative cross-section of American adults—irrespective of whether they have Internet access, use only a cell phone, etc. The sample was weighted, post survey, to match key US Census Bureau demographic norms.
From November 2008 to December 2018, no KnowledgePanel® member participated in more than one Climate Change in the American Mind (CCAM) survey. Beginning with the April 2019 survey, panel members who have participated in CCAM surveys in the past, excluding the most recent two surveys, may be randomly selected for participation. In the current survey, 298 respondents, 272 of whom are registered voters included in this report, participated in a previous CCAM survey.
The survey instrument was designed by Anthony Leiserowitz, Seth Rosenthal, Jennifer Carman, Marija Verner, Emily Richards, Matthew Goldberg, and Jennifer Marlon of Yale University, and John Kotcher, Edward Maibach, Teresa Myers, Joshua Ettinger, and Julia Fine of George Mason University. The codes for the open-ended questions were developed by Joshua Ettinger and Teresa Myers, who also coded the responses. The figures and tables were constructed by Emily Goddard of Yale University.
Margins of error
All samples are subject to some degree of sampling error—that is, statistical results obtained from a sample can be expected to differ somewhat from results that would be obtained if every member of the target population was interviewed. Average margins of error, at the 95% confidence level, are as follows:
• All Registered Voters (n = 930): Plus or minus 3 percentage points.
• Democrats (total; n = 415): Plus or minus 5 percentage points.
• Liberal Democrats (n = 229): Plus or minus 7 percentage points.
• Moderate/conservative Democrats (n = 183): Plus or minus 7 percentage points.
• Republicans (total; n = 397): Plus or minus 5 percentage points.
• Liberal/moderate Republicans (n = 123): Plus or minus 9 percentage points.
• Conservative Republicans (n = 274): Plus or minus 6 percentage points.
Rounding error and tabulation
In data tables, bases specified are unweighted, while percentages are weighted to match national population parameters.
For tabulation purposes, percentage points are rounded to the nearest whole number. As a result, percentages in a given chart may total slightly higher or lower than 100%. Summed response categories (e.g., “strongly support” + “somewhat support”) are rounded after sums are calculated. For example, in some cases, the sum of 25% + 25% might be reported as 51% (e.g., 25.3% + 25.3% = 50.6%, which, after rounding, would be reported as 25% + 25% = 51%).
Coding open-ended responses
Two of the report’s authors (Joshua Ettinger and Teresa Myers) reviewed the open-ended responses and developed separate lists of codes for each question (refer to Sections 4.2 and 6.3). They then independently coded every response for the presence or absence of each code (0=absent; 1=present) and resolved any differences through discussion. Each response could be assigned multiple codes. Definitions of the codes are provided below with verbatim examples.
Section 4.2
Costs/prices (unspecified) — Any reference to costs or prices without further specification. Examples include: “Bills,” “Living cost,” and “General cost of daily living.”
Costs are not increasing — Any response that states that costs are not increasing. Examples include: “None” and “not a lot.”
Energy costs — Any reference to energy costs such as gas bills, electricity bills, or costs associated with home cooling or heating. Examples include: “Home energy costs,” “Heating and cooling,” and “By making me having to use my air conditioner more in the summer due to the scorching heat. By making me have to turn up my heat in the winter due to the fierce cold.”
Everything — Any response that states that all costs are increasing. Examples include: “Everything” and “AC, Electric, Water, insurances, Food, Travel, just about everything.”
Food — Any reference to costs associated with food or groceries. Examples include: “Price of food, water and gas,” “Utilities, Homeowners Insurance, Groceries,” “Electricity, heating, cooling, cost of groceries.”
Healthcare — Any reference to healthcare costs. Examples include: “Health” and “My wife health.”
Home maintenance — Any reference to costs associated with home maintenance such as repairs or weatherproofing. Examples include: “Heating and cooling, food costs, air quality, yard care, gardening.,” “Mitigation to our home for flooding due the increased amount of storms and rain in our area. The need for air conditioning because it’s getting hotter.”
Home prices/rent — Any reference to the cost of purchasing or renting a home. Examples include: “I live in an area with wildfires. We have a freaking fire season. Housing is the easiest answer.” and “Rent.”
Insurance — Any reference to insurance-related costs. Examples include: “Car insurance,” “Inflation, gas prices, insurance prices (significantly),” and “homeowners insurance, electricity costs.”
Miscellaneous/unclear response — Any responses that deal with miscellaneous other topics that do not fit into the other codes or responses that were too unclear for coding. Examples include: “Anything that new laws or regulations have caused to rise in price,” “Economic impact,” “Scarcity of certain products due to global warming.”
Participant is unsure — Any response that indicates the participant is unsure which costs are rising. Examples include: “Food(?),” “don’t know,” and “Not sure.”
Taxes — Any reference to taxes. Examples include: “Government taxes collected that have no demonstrated effect locally or globally,” “electric, federal taxes,” and “Taxes.”
Transportation — Any reference to costs associated with transportation, including gas prices and travel. Examples include: “The price of gas,” “Groceries, Electricity, Transportation,” and “Travel & food.”
Utilities (unspecified) — Any reference to utilities without further specification. Examples include: “utilities” and “Cost of groceries, water for my home, utility costs in general.”
Water— Any reference to water-related costs. Examples include: “Electricity, heating gas, gas, water bills,” “water and electricity for the biggest concerning,” “Water bill and energy bill.”
Section 6.3
Democrats — Any reference to Democratic politicians, the Democratic party, or Democrats without further specification. Examples include: “Democrats and Gavin Newsome specifically,” “Republicans Negligence and Democrats policies,” and “democrats.”
Everyone — Any response that states that everyone is at fault for rising gas prices. Examples include: “everyone,” “All of us,” and “humans.”
Fossil fuel industry/interests — Any reference to fossil fuel companies, the fossil fuel industry, or related interests such as investors. Examples include: “Oil companies price gouging,” “The suppliers of the gas to our country,” and “oil and gas industry.”
Geopolitics/world affairs — Any reference to geopolitical events without specification of the War in Iran or other specific events. Examples include: “Uncertainty in the mideast,” “Geopolitics,” and “Everyone says it’s about what’s happening overseas.”
Global trade/markets/economy — Any reference to global trade, markets, or economies without further specification. Examples include: “Stock price,” “Wall Street,” and “Consumer demand.”
Governments, global leaders, politicians (unspecified) — Any reference to governments or politicians in general without further specification. Examples include: “Government.,” “Governments,” and “Our political leaders.”
Greed/profit-seeking — Any reference to greed or profit-seeking. Examples include: “Greed,” “Profitteers,” and “Corporate greed.”
Iran/Iranian government — Any reference to Iran, its government, or political leaders. Examples include: “Iran,” “Iranian leaders.,” and “The Iranian government.”
Israel/Israeli government — Any reference to Israel or its government. Examples include: “Look like WAR situation is main reason, and Israel is responsible if not America,” “The US and Israel bombing Iran, causing them to close the Strait of Hormuz.,” and “Iran, Israel and Trump.”
Miscellaneous/unclear response — Any responses that deal with miscellaneous other topics that do not fit into the other codes or responses that were too unclear for coding. Examples include: “Nothing. Gas prices are fine. IRAN needed destroyed.,” “Not fair,” and “Taxes.”
No one — Any response that states that no one is at fault for rising gas prices. Examples include: “Nobody” and “no one.”
Overdependence on foreign oil — Any reference to overdependence on foreign oil. Examples include: “The stupid Gas and oil companies not prioritizing Buying and selling American” and “Biden administration closing pipeline. We need to produce our own gas.”
Participant is unsure — Any response that indicates the participant is unsure why gas prices are rising. Examples include: “I don’t know” and “Who the heck knows.”
President Biden and administration — Any reference to President Biden or his administration. Examples include: “Biden” and “Biden Admin.”
President Trump and administration — Any reference to President Trump or his administration. Examples include: “Donald Trump,” “President Trump,” and “Trump and his actions.”
Republicans — Any reference to Republican politicians, the Republican party, or Republicans without further specification. Examples include: “The president and republicans,” “Democrats and Republicans,” and “Republicans.”
State and local governments/governors — Any reference to state or local governments or governors. Examples include: “Governor of OREGON,” “Govenor Newsome,” and “Gavin Newsom”
United States/United States government — Any reference to the U.S. or the U.S. government, including Congress. Examples include: “Our president and government” and “Iran and US.”
War with Iran/Strait of Hormuz — Any reference to the Iran War or conflict in the Strait of Hormuz. Examples include: “Trump and the Iran war,” “Iran war,” and “All the tumult in the Middle East, closure of Strait of Hormuz, speculation about all of it.”