President Trump Promotes Economic Agenda Amid Affordability Challenges in Mountain West
President Trump is visiting Nevada and Arizona to promote his economic agenda, but a new report highlights significant affordability challenges in these regions. The study, titled 'How the Post Pandemic Price Surge Reshaped Affordability in America,' reveals that Nevada, Arizona, and Colorado are among the least affordable states in the Mountain West. Households in these states spend over 20% of their gross income on basic expenses such as shelter, utilities, and groceries. The report, authored by Zach Milne of the Common Sense Institute, notes that while inflation has slowed post-pandemic, baseline costs have continued to rise. This has resulted in American households needing an additional $15,000 on average in 2025 to cover the same basic expenses as before. The study also found that Wyoming and New Mexico are the most affordable states in the region.