Housing affordability: A factor in election choice for more than one-third of early voters

Despite increased interest, housing still falls behind issues such as the economy and immigration

Housing affordability: A factor in election choice for more than one-third of early voters

Despite increased interest, housing still falls behind issues such as the economy and immigration
CONCEPT Orange couple holding house

While housing affordability is a concern for voters, it is not the top priority for most on either side of the political divide, according to results from survey conducted by Redfin.

The online brokerage found that 38% of U.S. residents who have already voted as of Nov. 1 say housing affordability played a role in who they support for president. About 43% of supporters for Vice President Kamala Harris named housing affordability a factor, compared to 29% of supporters for former President Donald Trump.

Redfin, which interviewed 1,002 early voters between Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, reports that despite the ongoing discussion of housing costs, a majority of voters listed 11 other concerns ahead of housing. The list was led by the economy (63%), followed by inflation (59%), protecting democracy (56%) and immigration (55%). The only issues less likely to sway a voter’s presidential decision than housing affordability were climate change and access to gender-affirming care.

On issues directly impacting housing affordability, 32% of voters surveyed said that mortgage rates would fall if Trump were elected president, compared to 23% who thought that rates would fall under a Harris administration. About 32% think rates will go up if Harris is elected, compared to 28% who expect rates to rise under Trump.

Housing affordability ranked higher in importance for down ballot contests, where 40% of U.S. voters said housing issues factored into their decisions on local races. Crime and safety (50%) were the highest concerns when choosing local officials, followed by the economy (46%) and inflation (41%).

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