Economy

The economy affects every American. Where do your fellow Tennesseans stand on key economic issues? Scroll to find out.

57%
Utility costs are clearly weighing on Tennessee households. A majority of Tennesseans (57%) report that utilities such as electricity, water, gas, and internet account for more than 10% of their monthly budget (the highest option given).
May 2026 poll

Affordability of Life for Tennesseans

August 2026 poll

Compared with six months ago, a majority of Tennesseans would say that their life is less affordable today.

More affordable
14%
Less affordable
56%
About the same
30%
See the Latest Poll

Additional Insights

70%
of Tennesseans support consolidating business filings into a single “one-stop shop” system for new and existing businesses in the state.
November 2025 Poll
71%
of voters support allowing Tennessee businesses to fully deduct the cost of capital expenses—such as equipment and machinery—from their state taxes in the first year, similar to federal tax rules.
November 2025 Poll

Views on Tariffs

August 2025 Poll

Tennesseans are split on how they view tariffs:

Tariffs are essentially taxes that increase the cost of goods for consumers and can worsen inflation
44%
Tariffs are a necessary tool to protect American-made products, even if they temporarily raise costs
44%
I’m not sure
11%
47%
of Tennesseans have been negatively impacted by tariffs on imported goods, such as paying higher prices for everyday goods.
August 2025 Poll
52%
of Tennessee voters support laws with an economic impact over $1 million going to the legislature for a vote while 20% believe agencies should be able to implement regulations without oversight.
January 2026 Poll

Big v. Small Businesses

November 2025 Poll

Americans often express different levels of trust in big business and small business. Tennesseans hold:

Favorable opinions of big businesses
54%
Favorable opinions of small businesses
90%
51%
of voters trust big and small businesses, together, to create good jobs and strengthen the economy.
November 2025 Poll
39%
of voters feel that Tennessee receives the right amount of federal funding for the state’s budget.
November 2025 Poll
53%
of voters are favorable to capitalism as an economic system.
November 2025 Poll
39%
of voters are unfavorable to socialism as an economic system.
November 2025 Poll

Economy Media