War With Iran Is Hitting American Wallets Hard — Here's What Families Are Actually Paying

When a war starts overseas, most Americans don't immediately think about their grocery runs, their commute to work, or whether they can afford to visit the doctor. But months into the U.S. military conflict with Iran, the financial ripple effects are landing squarely on kitchen tables and gas station receipts across the country.

A new poll from ABC News, The Washington Post, and Ipsos paints a stark picture of how ordinary Americans are coping. Four in ten say they are worse off financially than when President Donald Trump began his second term in January 2025. Nearly one in four say they are falling behind. And half of all Americans expect gas prices to climb even higher over the next twelve months.

The numbers tell part of the story. The people behind them tell the rest.

A Fill-Up That Now Costs $70

Martha Davis, 66, lives in Tool, Texas, and spends her days caring for her disabled son. Medical appointments are a regular necessity, and some of them require her to drive nearly 60 miles from home. That trip used to be manageable.

"I used to get back and forth on like $20, $25, but now it's almost 70 bucks," Davis said.

That's nearly three times what she was paying before. For a caretaker on a tight budget, that difference isn't just an inconvenience — it forces real choices about what else gets cut.

Jacob Olson, 28, from Beebe, Arkansas, faces a similar squeeze. After losing his warehouse management job when the solar company he worked for went bankrupt, Olson started building and selling custom wood projects. The work keeps him going, but it requires driving to customers — and gas costs are eating into whatever margin he has left.

"I don't really do anything, you know, for leisure or luxury anymore," Olson said. "It's all kind of just getting the bills paid ... I have a 1-year-old, and I just had another baby about a month ago, so I've got two little ones, and every day it's getting harder."

When asked how he's managing day to day, Olson put it simply.

"One day at a time," Olson said. "One foot in front of the other. ... That's about the way to sum it up."

Why Gas Prices Are Surging

The spike at the pump is directly tied to disruptions in global oil markets caused by the war. Iran responded to the U.S. military campaign by blocking the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway in the Middle East that normally serves as a passage for roughly 20 percent of all oil traded globally. When that route gets disrupted, oil supplies tighten and prices rise — and American drivers feel it almost immediately.

The ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll found that 44 percent of Americans have already cut back on how much they drive because of higher gas prices. Another 42 percent have reduced other household expenses to compensate, and 34 percent have changed or cancelled travel and vacation plans.

For lower-income households — those earning under $50,000 a year — the impact has been even more pronounced. More than half of people in that income range said they have cut back on both driving and general household spending.

Brenda Howard, 66, from Lubbock, Texas, doesn't own a car and depends on rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft to get around. Those services have become significantly more expensive as drivers pass along their own rising fuel costs. A simple trip to the grocery store now runs her about $30.

"This is not the way I thought my retirement was gonna turn out," Howard said. "I never dreamed that it would be a day-to-day struggle, sometimes hour to hour."

Howard works as a cleaner and relies on rideshares to get to her job as well — meaning higher gas prices affect her ability to earn income and buy food at the same time.

Mixed Views on the War and What Comes Next

The poll found that 61 percent of Americans believe the Trump administration's decision to go to war with Iran was a mistake. Still, some people who feel financially strained continue to support the president, even as they acknowledge the economic pain.

Andy Breedlove, 51, from West Virginia, is out of work due to a disability. He told pollsters he believes Trump is performing well in his second term, but he also thinks gas prices are too high and expects them to keep rising because of the ongoing conflict.

"But with the price of everything else, it kind of evens out a little," Breedlove said.

Jim Piper, 36, from Portage, Indiana, also lives on a fixed income due to a disability and has been doing worse financially since the start of Trump's second term. He blames political gridlock rather than any single policy.

"I got to pay more, even though I'm not making more," Piper said.

Christopher Mosley, 43, a former Walmart employee from Fort Smith, Arkansas, described Trump as "reckless" on foreign policy.

Olson, the young father and woodworker from Arkansas, expressed frustration with the lack of clear communication from the White House about the conflict's purpose and progress.

"He hasn't made a clear statement on why ... we're actually participating at all," Olson said. "From what I know, there's been a lot of just lying and, you know, not being transparent, and ... a big lack of professionalism, which I don't appreciate coming from the president."

President Trump's own messaging on gas prices has shifted over time. In early April, he suggested prices might stay the same or rise before the upcoming midterm elections. By May 1, he was telling the public that gas prices would come "tumbling down" once the conflict with Iran was resolved. As of early May, Iran was reported to be reviewing a U.S. proposal aimed at winding down the war.

The financial pressure voters are describing carries real political weight. With midterm elections approaching, Democrats are already seen as positioned to make gains. Trump has said publicly that a shift in congressional power would threaten his ability to advance his agenda. How much gas prices and broader cost-of-living concerns shape voter decisions between now and then remains one of the central questions hanging over the conflict.