HPU Poll surveys North Carolinians on gas prices, inflation

As gas prices rise at the pump, a new poll from High Point University takes a closer look at the impact it's having on residents in the state.

The High Point University Survey Research Center found that more than half of North Carolinians said that higher gas prices have affected their household a lot. Less than one-third said a little bit, and 9% said not at all.

Respondents said that prices are much higher for gas for their cars as compared to last year, followed by meat and natural gas. Forty-three percent said that they are paying a much higher price for fruits and vegetables. That was followed by milk, eggs, and electronics.

They were also asked about President Biden's recent announcement that the U.S. will stop importing Russian natural gas and oil. A majority (51%) of North Carolinians said that if gas prices rise because of this policy, it is worth the cost. Less than one-third (30%) said that it is not worth the cost to take this action.

According to the poll, North Carolinians say inflation is the most important issue in the state, followed by education, jobs and health care.

Participants were split on who is to blame for current levels of inflation, between President Biden and Russia. About one-third of North Carolinians felt that the reason had more to do with the pandemic, followed by China.

The interviews were conducted by the High Point University Survey Research Center both online and by phone from March 18 through March 31. The responses are from nearly 900 adults from a sample of all North Carolina counties. The poll has a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points.

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