5 Middle-Class Costs That Could Change After the 2026 Midterms
Affordability has become one of the defining issues of the 2026 midterm elections.
Voters can’t change the price of gasoline, healthcare or housing simply by changing who controls Congress. However, elections can change policies that influence what families ultimately pay, sometimes directly and sometimes alongside much larger economic forces.
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Here are five middle-class costs that could look different in 2027.
1. Gas Prices
Gas prices may change after the midterms, but election results will be only one part of the equation.
Federal and state decisions can affect domestic energy production, taxes, regulation and fuel distribution costs. Wayne Winegarden, an economist at the Pacific Research Institute, said both the Middle East conflict and domestic energy policy have contributed to pressure on household energy costs.
“A stable resolution to the conflict would have the biggest impact,” Winegarden said. “However, there is a tremendous amount of uncertainty surrounding this conflict.”
The U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasts average retail gasoline prices of $3.56 per gallon in 2027, down from $3.91 in 2026.
2. Electricity
Policymakers have more control over some of the forces affecting electricity costs.
Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows the average U.S. residential price reached 18.19 cents per kilowatt-hour through July 2026, about 6.9% higher than during the same period in 2025.
Winegarden said federal and state policymakers could lower electricity costs by reducing regulatory barriers, including easing renewable-energy mandates and rules that raise the cost of small modular nuclear reactors.
3. Healthcare
Healthcare policy can determine whether some costs remain within public programs or shift back to households.
Julio Briones, founder and CEO of Briones Consulting Group, said tighter Medicaid eligibility or reduced home-care funding could leave families paying more privately or providing more unpaid care.
Higher labor costs could increase home-care rates, while changes to prescription drug protections, cost-sharing rules or caregiver tax relief could also change household expenses.
“When public support for care becomes harder to access, the need for care does not disappear,” Briones said. “The cost often shifts back to the family.”
4. Federal Taxes
Taxes are where a change in congressional power can have one of the clearest effects on household finances because lawmakers can change deductions, credits and tax rates.
According to the projected federal tax brackets from Wolters Kluwer, the 2027 standard deduction will rise to $16,600 for single filers, $24,950 for heads of household and $33,200 for married couples filing jointly. That would be increases of $500, $800 and $1,000, respectively, from 2026.
Those figures reflect projected inflation adjustments. Additional legislation passed after the election could further change what households owe.
5. Mortgage Costs
Housing may be one of the costs least directly affected by the midterms.
Congress can influence housing through tax and housing policy, but mortgage rates also respond to financial markets and Federal Reserve policy. Freddie Mac reported the average 30-year fixed rate at 7.28% on Oct. 1, up from 6.34% a year earlier.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says fixed-rate borrowers generally keep the same principal-and-interest payment. So, in 2027, election results may shape housing policy, but they won’t determine what happens to mortgage rates.
Editor’s note on political coverage: MoneyLion is nonpartisan and strives to cover all aspects of the economy objectively and present balanced reports on politically focused finance stories.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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