NJ Gas Prices, Cost of Living & World Cup Fares: April 2026

New Jersey voters are getting a small break on everyday costs, but gas prices are wiping out any sense of relief, according to a new Rutgers-Eagleton poll released this week.

The survey found residents continue to struggle to afford basic necessities, with modest improvement since last fall across most categories. The exception is the gas pump, where prices near or above $4 a gallon have hit every demographic equally hard.

“New Jerseyans feel a slight relief on most everyday costs compared to last fall, but this relief does not extend to the gas pump,” said Ashley Koning of Rutgers-Eagleton. “The jump in reported difficulty in this area cuts across every demographic, forming a kind of rare consensus and showing just how acutely New Jerseyans are feeling the consequences of the current national conflict with Iran.”

A separate Fairleigh Dickinson University poll found voters will support almost any policy that brings prices down, a sign of just how stretched household budgets have become across the state.

Gas is the through-line. South Jersey drivers are seeing some prices ease, according to the Press of Atlantic City, but analysts don’t expect that to last. For the millions of commuters on NJ Transit, another hit is coming: fares are set to skyrocket this summer when New Jersey hosts World Cup matches, according to reporting from NJ.com. The combination of surging gas costs and higher rail fares is landing on families already stretched thin.

The economic anxiety is unfolding against a crowded political backdrop, with congressional primaries heating up across multiple districts.

In CD-12, Democratic candidates debated housing and affordability at a Princeton forum Tuesday, each working to distinguish themselves in a packed field. Governor Mikie Sherrill stumped in CD-11 for Mejia, and candidates in that district are heading into their final days of campaigning. In CD-7, former candidate O’Rourke endorsed Bennett, consolidating at least some of the field. In CD-8, Rep. Menendez reported more than $1 million cash on hand.

Courts are also reshaping the primary landscape. A judge ruled that GOP Senate primary candidate Alex Zdan can’t claim an endorsement from the Union County Republican Committee, a decision that could complicate his path forward. In Burlington County, a judge ruled the Burlington GOP surrogate candidate can’t appear on the ballot. On the party organization front, Bergen GOP Chair DeLorenzo announced plans to step down.

In Cape May County, Rosenello was tapped by the local Republican committee to fill a vacant commission seat.

Sherrill, meanwhile, signed nuclear power legislation this week. Her approval rating sits at 45 percent, according to recent polling.

On the ground in communities dealing with more immediate fears, bomb threats were reported at multiple Burlington County schools, according to NJ101.5. No injuries were reported.

Passaic County lost a retiree benefits fight, according to NorthJersey.com, a ruling that carries financial implications for the county and the former employees who depend on those benefits.

The nonprofit “180 Turning Lives Around” held an event this week marking the launch of a student-led initiative called “Hope In Dark Light.” The Sheila Y. Oliver Foundation held a panel at Columbia University’s School of Social Work focused on politics and social work.

The Highlands Council launched a regional tourism website, a move aimed at drawing visitors to the highland communities of North Jersey ahead of the summer season.

The political and economic picture heading into spring is one of real pressure on working families, with gas prices the most visible flashpoint, and a primary season that’s growing more legally contested by the week.