By Staff Reporter |

A new study from the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) found that household inflation has been lower this presidential term than the last.

The JEC published a data brief on Thursday that reflected that the average household faced $2,881 less in additional costs from rising prices during the first 20 months of President Donald Trump’s second term — from January 2025 through August 2026 — than the first 20 months of former President Joe Biden’s term — from January 2021 through August 2022. 

That cost difference amounts to an average reduction of nearly 41%. 

“The comparison does not mean prices declined during President Trump’s second term,” stated the JEC. “Rather, the analysis finds that the cumulative increase in household costs was substantially smaller than during the comparable period under President Biden.” 

During the first 20 months of Biden, the average American household experienced $7,081 in additional costs. Arizona was above this average. The average Arizona household experienced $8,427 in additional costs during that same time frame. 

During the first 20 months of Trump, the average American household experienced $4,200 in additional costs. Arizona was below this average. The average Arizona household experienced $4,000 in additional costs during that same time frame, a reduction of $4,427 from the prior administration. 

In Arizona, that cost difference between administrations amounts to an average reduction of nearly 52%. 

In December 2025, the White House released an analysis reflecting that states experienced a difference in year-over-year inflation based on the political affiliations of their leadership. Conservative-leaning states experienced an overall average 2.5% inflation rate, whereas liberal-leaning states experienced an overall average 3% inflation rate. 

Conservative states experienced an average 3.4% year-over-year inflation rate for housing, 2.5% for food and beverage, 3.5% for energy, and 0.7% for transportation, compared to liberal states experiences of 3.6% inflation rate for housing, 2.7% for food and beverage, 5.2% for energy, and 2.5% for transportation. 

The consistent rates of heightened inflation rates under liberal governance remained true when distinguishing states based on the political affiliations of the governor and legislature, and state control. 

States led by conservative governors experienced 2.3% year-over-year inflation rate overall, 3.2% inflation rate for housing, 2.4% inflation rate for food and beverage, 2.9% inflation rate for energy, and 0.6% inflation rate for transportation.

States led by liberal governors experienced a 3% inflation rate overall, 3.7% inflation rate for housing, 2.7% inflation rate for food and beverage, 5.3% inflation rate for energy, and 2.1% inflation rate for transportation.

States with conservative legislatures experienced a 2.4% inflation rate overall, 3.3% inflation rate for housing, 2.4% inflation rate for food and beverage, 2.9% inflation rate for energy, and 0.6% inflation rate for transportation.

States with liberal legislatures experienced a 3% inflation rate overall, 3.6% inflation rate for housing, 2.7% inflation rate for food and beverage, 5.1% inflation rate for energy, and 2.5% inflation rate for transportation.

States in which the legislature had neither a conservative or liberal majority experienced a 3.1% inflation rate overall, 4.5% inflation rate for housing, 2.7% inflation rate for food and beverage, 7.7% inflation rate for energy, and 0.9% inflation rate for transportation.

States defined as under conservative control experienced a 2.3% inflation rate overall, 3.3% inflation rate for housing, 2.4% inflation rate for food and beverage, 2.9% inflation rate for energy, and 0.6% inflation rate for transportation.

States defined as under liberal control experienced a 3% inflation rate overall, 3.6% inflation rate for housing, 2.7% inflation rate for food and beverage, 5.4% inflation rate for energy, and 2.7% inflation rate for transportation.

States defined as under neither conservative nor liberal control experienced a 2.8% inflation rate overall, 3.8% inflation rate for housing, 2.7% inflation rate for food and beverage, 4.7% inflation rate for energy, and 0.7% inflation rate for transportation.

Arizona was defined as having a conservative affiliation. The state experienced a year-over-year inflation rate of 2.6% overall, 1.8% for housing, 2.6% for food and beverage, 2.3% for energy, and 1.4% for transportation.

The city of Phoenix was also included as a major metro area for that analysis, but it was defined based on the state’s assigned affiliation of “conservative.” The city experienced a year-over-year inflation rate of 1.4% overall, -0.1% for housing, 1.1% for food and beverage, 6.7% for energy, and 0.8% for transportation.

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