The National Women’s Law Center fights for gender justice—in the courts, in public policy, and in our society.
Care Polling from NWLC’s Quarterly Benchmark Analysis
Over the last year, the National Women’s Law Center has partnered with YouGov on a series of surveys administered quarterly on U.S. adults. Results from August 2025, January 2026, April 2026, and August 2026 are included and show that support for affordable child care, long-term care, and health care are high, with the vast majority of adults supporting these policies. The number of adults expressing concern about the cost of care services and health care has grown over the course of the four waves, demonstrating the need for comprehensive solutions that address the affordability of high-quality child care, long-term care, and health care. Read the full memo here.
Care Issue Support Overall (August 2025-August 2026)
| August 2025 | January 2026 | April 2026 | August 2026 | |
| % of adults who support guaranteeing access to affordable, high-quality child care | * | 76% | 76% | 81% |
| % of adults who support guaranteeing access to affordable long-term care for older adults and disabled people | * | 85% | 85% | 89% |
| % of adults who support guaranteeing access to affordable health care | 85% | 84% | 85% | 87% |
* In August 2025, 85% of adults support “guaranteeing access to affordable, high-quality child care and long-term care for older adults and disabled people”.
Key Takeaways (August 2025-August 2026)
- Child Care: Over 3 in 4 adults support guaranteeing access to affordable, high-quality child care, and over 3 in 5 adults think their elected representative should be doing more on the issue.
- Aging and Disability Care: Over 5 in 6 adults support guaranteeing access to affordable long-term care for older adults and disabled people, and around 7 in 10 adults think their elected representative should be doing more on the issue.
- Health Care: Over 5 in 6 adults support guaranteeing access to affordable health care and around 7 in 10 adults think their elected representative should be doing more to guarantee access to affordable health care.
