Fewer than four in 10 Pennsylvania voters believe the state is on the right track, according to a new survey released by the Commonwealth Foundation.
The poll of 800 registered voters, conducted Aug. 22–28, found that 38 percent think Pennsylvania is headed in the right direction. Nearly half said the cost of living is their top concern, while 28 percent named the economy. Taxes and crime each ranked as a key issue for 21 percent of respondents.
“Voters see Pennsylvania headed in the wrong direction. They want lower costs, a stronger economy, and educational options — not reckless spending, political gridlock, and higher electric bills,” said Commonwealth Foundation Senior Vice President of Public Affairs Erik Telford.
Some 48 percent say the cost of living is their top concern. Another 28 percent cite the economy, with 21 percent saying taxes and 21 percent saying crime, Commonwealth officials said. (The figures represent voters’ first, second, or third most important issues.)
And 38 percent said they have either considered leaving Pennsylvania or know someone who has. The reasons given were the cost of living, taxes, and job opportunities.
However, there’s support for provisions in President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill Act, including 73 percent for work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents and 72 percent for school choice. Another 63 percent support the renewal of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
In education, 61 percent give the state’s K-12 public school system a grade of C, D, or F. They’re concerned that students are not learning life skills and not being taught reading, writing, and arithmetic. Seventy-one percent would choose an alternative to their local school district if it weren’t for cost. And 46 percent oppose a cut to cyber school budgets as proposed in the Democrats’ HB 100, which would slash 50 percent.
Those polled support tax credit scholarships (71 percent), education opportunity accounts (72 percent), and Lifeline Scholarships for students in failing schools (67 percent). Additionally, 79 percent would expand existing tax credit programs.
Frustration with the state’s education system may reflect the growing gap between what taxpayers are asked to spend on schools and the results.
A May 2025 Commonwealth Foundation study found that even with record education spending of $23,061 per pupil, many Pennsylvania students aren’t learning.
In the Keystone State, education spending from all sources — federal, state, and local — reached $38.6 billion in 2023–24.
And Pennsylvania taxpayers are kicking in even more this year, thanks to a $1.1 billion increase in the 2024–25 state budget. State education spending hit an all-time high of $16.8 billion, a 66 percent increase in the last decade.
And yet National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test results for Pennsylvania students have been flat for years. Far higher spending, but no improvement in outcomes.
On the economy and jobs, 64 percent of respondents say conditions are getting worse for them personally, and 54 percent believe it’s a bad time to look for a job in Pennsylvania.
Voters also believe electric bills are too high, with 73 percent saying they are steeper this year. Another 74 percent oppose Gov. Josh Shapiro’s climate policies: the Pennsylvania Climate Emissions Reduction Act (PACER) and the Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Sustainability Standard (PRESS).
And 72 percent oppose the state’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a multi-state climate pact.
Also, 64 percent oppose Shapiro’s proposed spending increases, and 65 percent oppose using the state’s Rainy Day Fund to pay for them. And 36 percent blame Shapiro for the 2025 budget impasse.