America's Most Important Swing Generation Isn't Political-- It's Economic

A $1 million economics quiz asked thousands of young Americans to study the affordability crisis before sharing what they believe. Most engaged with the evidence and nearly a third said they aren't done deciding.

ATLANTA, July 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- What if the country's next great economic debate wasn't happening in Washington, but through a quiz with a $1 million prize?

The Foundation for Economic Education's (FEE) Million Dollar Question will award $1 million to one participant for demonstrating a strong understanding of the economic forces behind America's affordability crisis. Along the way, thousands of young Americans have voluntarily sat down to study the economics of housing, healthcare, education, inflation, and regulation; then shared what they think.

Among nearly 4,900 Gen Z participants who completed the quiz and post-quiz survey, 55.9% said government subsidies and regulations have contributed to making housing, healthcare, and education more expensive. Only 15.4% said more government spending is needed, while 28.7% said they need to do more research before reaching a conclusion.

Those answers came after engagement, not before it. Unlike traditional opinion polling that captures top-of-mind reactions, the Million Dollar Question rewards understanding rather than agreement and offers a rare look at how young Americans reason about rising costs once they sit with the evidence. 

"Gen Z is often portrayed as having already settled on the answers," said Diogo Costa, President, FEE. "What we saw was different. When thousands of young Americans engaged seriously with the economics of affordability, most didn't reach for slogans. They weighed evidence about how subsidies and regulations shape prices, and nearly a third told us honestly that they need to learn more before deciding. That openness is the real finding."

The picture that emerges is not a generation with entrenched economic views, but one still actively evaluating competing explanations for the defining economic issue of its lifetime. It is consistent with signals elsewhere in the economy. Intuit/QuickBooks found 43% of Gen Z adults planned to start a business in 2026, and Gusto reported that Gen Z accounted for 9% of all new businesses started in 2025, surpassing Baby Boomers (5%) for the first time. Young Americans are not waiting for someone to hand them answers about the economy, they are looking for them.

Among participants who completed the Million Dollar Question and post-survey quiz:

• 55.9% said government subsidies and regulations have contributed to rising housing, healthcare, and education costs.
• Only 15.4% said additional government spending is needed.
• 28.7% said they need to do more research before deciding.

For FEE, those findings point to something larger than politics.

"We built the Million Dollar Question on a bet that young people will do the hard work of understanding the affordability crisis if you take them seriously instead of lecturing them," said Costa. "The participants are proving us right. The young people who showed up were curious, willing to follow arguments, and honest about what they don't yet know. That is who this generation can be, and that is who we want to reach."

The Million Dollar Question is open now through the end of August. Participants answer questions covering housing, healthcare, education, inflation, government spending and regulation before sharing their views on potential solutions. Finalists will advance to a live championship event, where one winner will take home the $1 million prize.

To learn more, take the quiz, or enter for a chance to win $1 million, visit www.MillionDollarQuestion.org.

About the Foundation for Economic Education

The Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring, educating, and connecting future leaders with the economic, ethical, and legal principles of a free society. Since 1946, FEE has helped millions of students and lifelong learners explore the ideas of free markets, individual liberty, and personal responsibility through educational programming, digital content, and public engagement.

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SOURCE Foundation for Economic Education (FEE)