Three-quarters of middle-income Americans expect grocery prices to continue climbing over the next six months, according to Primerica’s Q1 2026 Financial Security Monitor survey. The finding is part of a broader pattern of rising cost expectations reshaping how households with incomes between $30,000 and $130,000 manage their budgets.
The survey found that 80 percent of middle-income respondents anticipate higher gas prices in the next six months — up sharply from 57 percent in the previous survey — while 78 percent expect utility costs to increase. About 65 percent say their income is falling behind the cost of living, a figure that has held stable since 2023.
What’s shifting is the nature of the response. Middle-income families are no longer just trimming discretionary spending — they’re increasingly deferring major financial decisions. Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of middle-income households said they delayed a major purchase or expense in the past year, signaling a move from short-term budgeting adjustments to longer-term deferral of critical needs.
Among those who delayed expenses, more than half (53 percent) postponed home repairs or improvements, 43 percent delayed non-emergency medical or dental procedures and 39 percent put off buying or replacing a vehicle. These are decisions that could compound into higher costs down the road.
The data also reflects growing financial strain beyond day-to-day spending. Fifty-six percent of middle-income Americans are currently paying down credit card debt, and the same share report that they typically carry a balance rather than paying it off in full each month. Two-thirds (66 percent) say they feel behind compared to where they thought they would be at this stage of life.
For grocery retailers, the implications are direct. With three-quarters of middle-income shoppers expecting higher food prices, value positioning, private label penetration and promotional strategy will remain critical tools for retaining these households. The deferral trend also suggests that spending on food — a non-deferrable necessity — may be absorbing a growing share of these consumers’ budgets at the expense of other categories.
The survey was conducted online by Change Research from March 6-11, polling 1,021 adults nationwide with incomes between $30,000 and $130,000. Post-stratification weights were applied on gender, age, race, education and Census region. The margin of error is 3.4 percent.
Headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, Primerica Inc. is a provider of financial products and services to middle-income households in North America.
[RELATED: Survey: Consumers Spend 37% Of Grocery Budget At Independent Stores]