(NewsNation) — Inflation has cooled in recent years, but Americans are still feeling the heat.

Nearly two-thirds of workers (62%) say their income hasn't kept pace with rising expenses over the past year — the highest share in four years, according to a new Bankrate survey. In 2022, 55% said the same.

The uptick underscores what many Americans have come to realize: Slower inflation doesn't mean lower prices. Grocery staples like coffee and ground beef cost more than ever, and an AI data center boom is helping drive power bills higher.

Overall, prices are climbing at a slower annual rate than just a few years ago — up 2.9% in Aug. 2025 compared with 8.3% in Aug. 2022 — but the cumulative effect is taking a toll, and recent data hasn't been reassuring.

"Americans are being thrust between

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