Webinar Recording: The Cost-of-Living Crisis: Data-Driven Insights into Housing, Energy, and Essential Spending

Posted by Institute for Research on Poverty on May 19, 2026

Economic uncertainty defines the current era for many U.S. households as they struggle with affordability and the challenge of stretching their budgets. The gap between rising costs and household resilience is especially large for families with lower incomes, as they face cost pressures relative to their income nearly three times greater than those of high-income earners. Understanding these disparities is an essential requirement for ensuring social equity and national stability.

This webinar brings together three expert perspectives to dissect the widening “affordability gap” through the lenses of consumer spending, housing policy, and energy costs. We will explore research that reveals how the expiration of pandemic-era supports and inflation has forced households with more limited economic resources to trade down on essentials while higher-income groups remain insulated. The discussion will also address the structural crisis in American housing, asking how we can realistically expand access to affordable homes. And finally, we will examine energy insecurity and the impacts of rising costs of utilities and transportation, highlighting how public perception and market shifts impact the distribution of modern infrastructure and affordability. Webinar participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of why the cost-of-living crisis is experienced so differently across the United States and what kinds of systemic steps are necessary to bridge the divide.

Listen to the webinar recording.