State of the Union: 4 facts to set the stage

                                                                                      

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STATE OF THE UNION TONIGHT 4 key stats President Donald Trump's State of the Union address tonight—and Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger's Democratic response—will cover a lot of ground. Our experts predict that affordability concerns, the housing shortage, energy demand, and substance use may be in the spotlight. To help you watch smartly, we've put together some quick background on each.

1. 92% of Americans are concerned about the price of food, goods The share of Americans who are very (dark beige) or somewhat (tan) concerned about economic issues. PEW RESEARCH CENTER Several economic issues once again top Americans' list of key policy concerns, according to Pew Research Center. That includes the cost of food and other consumer goods, which 92% of U.S. adults say they are very or somewhat concerned about. But affordability isn't just causing concern around the kitchen table. Economic worry is common in statehouses as they enter a new budget era defined by uncertainty. Rising Medicaid costs, the price tags of implementing artificial intelligence (AI), and many other new challenges are set to have long-term effects on both state ledgers and taxpayer pocketbooks.

QUOTE OF NOTE "Efficiency is becoming a very central focus for states as tightening budgets collide also with new advances in technology and especially AI." - Pew's Melissa Maynard on StateScoop's "Priorities Podcast" States meet economic woes with modernization

2. The U.S. is short 4 million to 7 million homes The high cost of housing is top-of-mind nationwide, and it wouldn't be surprising to hear the issue come up tonight. While the stats are stark, there's plenty of progress worth celebrating—progress that governments at all levels can replicate.   ✔️ At the national level, a bipartisan bill that would put homeownership within reach for more Americans advanced in Congress earlier this month. ✔️ States big and small made major changes in 2025 to improve housing affordability—from making it easier to build more affordable homes that middle-class families can purchase to reducing administrative barriers to construction. ✔️ Cities and towns are also helping to create more housing through land-use and permitting reforms (think: allowing more housing near transit). But, as our experts note, more work is needed.

QUOTE OF NOTE "There can be enough [housing] for everybody." Pew's Alex Horowitz on how to boost housing availability at a 2025 conference 3. U.S. electricity demand expected to grow 25% by 2030 Power-hungry AI data centers, increased manufacturing, transportation- and building-sector electrification—the list goes on as to why Americans are seeing their energy bills jump. What's more, most of that power depends on an aging grid that can't keep up with demand. But there are reasons for hope as state and local leaders work to tackle the issue, including: ⚡️ Advanced transmission technologies (ATTs): These hardware and software solutions can be rapidly deployed to help transmission wires carry more electricity—alleviating grid congestion while reducing costs for consumers. See if your state is encouraging the use of ATTs through legislation. ⚡️ Distributed energy resources: These increasingly common, small-scale technologies—home batteries, solar panels, electric vehicles (EVs), smart thermostats, etc.—can be used to generate and deliver electricity—increasing grid reliability and flexibility.

QUOTE OF NOTE "So much to plug in! Chargers, battery packs, EVs. If we do nothing, that's a problem for powering businesses. That's a problem for keeping the AC on in the hot summer or the refrigerator running." - Pew's Yaron Miller on how growing energy demand affects Americans' daily lives Where will we get the energy?

4. Just 1 in 5 American adults with opioid use disorder get medication Overdose deaths have begun to decrease in the U.S. but are still all too common—especially those involving opioids. Thankfully, boosting access to treatment continues to be a bipartisan priority at all levels of government, and recent progress shows what's possible. One win worth noting: The federal government recently made it easier to get lifesaving opioid use disorder medications by permanently extending pandemic-era telehealth rules. This will help ensure more people get treatment even if they can't routinely see their health care providers in person.

QUOTE OF NOTE "If you cut your finger and you need to go to urgent care … you know that you are going to have those stitches before you leave. However, if an individual is looking for substance use treatment, it's a totally different story." Pew's Brandee Izquierdo discussing barriers to substance use treatment on our "After the Fact" podcast

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