Vanderbilt Poll: Tennesseans’ economic anxiety surges, transcends party lines 

• Voters still have confidence in Tennessee’s economic conditions, viewing them as distinct from the national situation. Sixty-one percent deem the state’s economy as “very” or “fairly good,” while just 41 percent rate the U.S. economy as “fairly” or “very” good. 
• Concern about the ability to pay for medical emergencies, cover regular bills and save for retirement or education has increased by double digits since President Donald Trump was elected. 
• Partisan views about vaccines and autism indicate a larger split in how different groups consume news and health care advice. 
• Tennesseans overwhelmingly prioritize critical thinking, math and science over newer trends like AI and data science for high school students. These assessments are similar regardless of partisan stripe.  

Tennesseans across the political spectrum are worried about the cost of living. In its latest statewide poll, Vanderbilt University found that economic anxiety has increased since President Donald Trump took office in January. That anxiety runs the gamut from paying for unexpected expenses, such as a medical emergency or car repair, to covering basic monthly bills and saving for the future. 

“Inflation is a serious concern for Tennesseans across the state, even among MAGA Republicans,” said John Geer, co-director of the Vanderbilt Poll, senior advisor to Chancellor Daniel Diermeier, professor of political science and holder of a Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Chair. “While Trump continues to have support in the state, the worries about the cost of living are growing. And as we saw in the recent special election in the 7th congressional district, people are expressing their concerns by being much more willing to vote for a Democrat than just a year ago.” 

The poll also assessed general sentiment about whether Tennessee and the country are on the right track. Fifty-three percent of respondents feel things in Tennessee are going in the right direction, while 46 percent believe the United States is moving in the right direction. Additional poll questions focused on public health issues, educational priorities, approval of state and federal officials, and more. 

The poll was conducted in English, Nov. 12–19, 2025, among 1,046 registered Tennessee voters age 18 and older. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.6 percentage points. 

Rising Economic Anxiety 

While the public is optimistic about the state’s direction, sentiment about their personal financial outlook is far less positive. Eighty-seven percent call their daily cost of living “very” or “somewhat” expensive, which heightens their fears around unexpected expenses.  

Sixty-seven percent of respondents are worried about having enough money to pay for emergencies like medical care or car repairs—a 13 percentage point increase since December 2024. Even the ability to pay for typical monthly bills for housing, food and transportation are “very” or “moderately” concerning for 51 percent of Tennesseans. 

Those fears escalate when it comes to saving for the future. Seventy percent of respondents are “very” or “moderately” worried about having enough savings for things like retirement or education. This displaced issues like education and immigration as their top priority. 

“People appear to feel very strongly about a variety of issues right now, but when they are asked about what the government should prioritize, their responses are financially driven—the economy, health care and inflation. Plain and simple, people are worried about paying their bills, perhaps more than anything else,” said Josh Clinton, co-director of the Vanderbilt Poll, holder of the Abby and Jon Winkelried Chair at Vanderbilt and professor of political science. “Certainly, there is a portion of the population that is thriving, but for the average person trying to make their way in the world, it’s rough, and we see that in the data.” 

Public Health and Partisanship 

The conversation around autism has escalated with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. serving as secretary of health and human services. With three-quarters of respondents saying they know someone with autism, it is an important issue for many families. In fact, highlighting the impact that autism has on Tennesseans, 41 percent of those knowing someone with autism report that the person requires regular or daily support, and only 18 believe that the person can live independently on their own. Unlike many social issues, this concern cuts across party lines.  

The influence of partisanship emerges, however, when people are asked about the possible causes of autism—an issue that continues to receive attention at the national level. Overall, 21 percent agree or somewhat agree that childhood vaccines can cause autism, and 16 percent agree or strongly agree that mothers taking Tylenol while pregnant can cause autism.  

Overall, 38 percent strongly disagree with the notion that vaccines cause autism, and 32 percent neither agree nor disagree. Thirty-eight percent strongly disagree that mothers taking Tylenol while pregnant can cause autism, while 37 percent neither agree nor disagree.  

“We’re seeing significant partisan differences in response, reflecting the rhetoric out of the Trump administration,” Geer said. “Robert Kennedy Jr. and others are casting doubt on the value of vaccines and contending that pregnant women taking Tylenol can lead to autism in their babies. These claims are recasting how many Americans think about these public health issues.”  

While only 21 percent strongly or somewhat agree that childhood vaccinations can cause autism, five percent of Democrats, 22 percent of Independents and 30 percent of Republicans believe it is the cause. Similarly, only 16 percent strongly or somewhat agree that mothers taking Tylenol during pregnancy causes autism, though only four percent of Democrats, 17 percent of Independents and 21 percent of Republicans agree.    

“These results certainly highlight important issues related to those caring for those affected by autism in Tennessee, but the opinions also highlight differences of opinion about public health more generally. The willingness, for example, to take medically recommended childhood vaccines in general is becoming increasingly political,” Clinton added. “Fifty-six percent of registered voters overall in Tennessee support children getting a medically recommended vaccine, but there is a 50 percentage point difference in the views of Democrats and Republicans on this issue. Ninety percent of Democrats, but only 39 percent of Republicans would agree.”  

There are even sharper partisan differences among the public when asked about getting vaccines themselves. Eighty percent of Democrats would take a recommended vaccine, while only 41 percent of Independents and 28 percent of Republicans would. 

Foundational Skills: Still the Gold Standard 

As new technology and artificial intelligence become increasingly more entrenched in society, Tennesseans still believe that core subjects should stay a priority for high school students.  

Mathematics and Science (84 percent) and Critical Thinking (81 percent) are rated as “very important” by the vast majority of Tennesseans, while 74 percent rank History and Civics as well as Career and Technical Education as critical. Sixty-six percent of voters feel that Computer Science, Data Science, AI and Technology are “very important,” while only 27 percent prioritize a foreign language. There is broad agreement across party lines on these educational values. 

That prioritization of foundational skills translates into the overwhelming sentiment that high schools should prepare students for multiple paths. Eighty-three percent feel that high schools should put equal emphasis on helping students prepare to do well in college and preparing students to go directly into the workforce. 

Additional Findings 

• Ninety-two percent of surveyed voters have heard or read about Jeffrey Epstein. Eighty-three percent think the federal government should release more information about the investigation and legal proceedings. 
• Tennesseans gave high approval ratings for the governor (58 percent) and state legislature (54 percent), perhaps tied in part to the popularity of recent laws, such as the statewide ban on smartphones during the school day, which garnered 67 percent of voter support. 
• Voters generally support the right to criticize the president of the United States. Eighty-three percent of Tennesseans believe that average Americans have the right to criticize, while 73 percent believe that comedians have that right. Sixty-six percent of surveyed voters feel that journalists have the right to be harshly critical of the president. 
• Fifty-one percent of voters feel that “American democracy is under attack,” a modest drop of three percentage points since April. 
• A majority of citizens support the recent federal initiative to mobilize the Tennessee National Guard to Memphis.