Black Floridians are worried about their economic futures and stressed about the direction of the country, according to a comprehensive survey done this summer by a group that has researched Black attitudes over the past decade.
In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda questioned more than 500 Black adults over several weeks and discovered that many of those who answered had insecurity about their finances.
The survey found that 45% said they had less than $500 in savings, while 43% said they don’t have enough money to pay for food and housing. Many of those who responded had a pessimistic view of what lies ahead.
These findings come as affordability continues to be a major issue ahead of the 2026 elections. Florida Republicans say they plan to push ahead with ways to cut property taxes, while Democrats argue that steps should be taken to address years of property insurance hikes. Health insurance premiums for plans purchased on the federal healthcare exchange are expected to spike unless Congress steps in and restores Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year.
Meanwhile, 76% of respondents said they fear the cost of living will go up under President Donald Trump, while 66% agreed that Black people will lose their rights and endure more racial discrimination.
But the survey did find that a large segment of younger Black men — a component that may have helped Trump make inroads with minorities in the 2024 election — retain a positive outlook because Trump won. Fifty percent of Black men between the ages of 18 and 44 said they felt positively about Trump’s election and 44% said they will feel safer and secure under his presidency.
The survey also asked questions about policy including abortion; 69% of those who responded said abortion should be legal in all or most cases.
In terms of health care, 58% said they or a family member has had Medicaid coverage at some point in their lives. And of those who have been on Medicaid, 93% said the safety-net program for the poor, elderly, and disabled is important to them or their families, including 72% who said it’s been “very important.”
Despite the importance of Medicaid, 32% of the respondents report having had trouble finding a Medicaid-participating provider to care for them.
More than half of the Black women aged 18-44 surveyed (54%) said they want more children but just 29% plan to have them. Those respondents reported rising food, housing, health care. and childcare prices as reasons why.
Mental health is of concern to Black Floridians, the survey shows, particularly among young females. Sixty-six percent of Black women aged 18-44 said they worried about their mental health at least once a week, compared to 57% of men the same age. Forty-two percent of women aged 45 and older said they worry about their mental health at least once a week, compared to 48% of men.
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