More than 70 per cent of participants in the 2026 Heartbeat of Australia survey reckon their community is a great place to live.

And nine out of 10 people in the regions say that shopping locally and supporting local businesses increasingly important in making them feel part of their local community.

ACM's Heartbeat of Australia survey is now open. Picture Shutterstock, ACM

But more than half of the thousands of Australians who have already taken the 15-minute online survey, which continues until June 6, say they are very or extremely concerned about economic conditions, the cost of living and energy costs.

"The cost of living is unmanageable," one female Gen-Xer from NSW commented in the survey.

"I am having to dig into savings to pay bills and I feel lucky that I had savings to fall back on. Many people don't. It's ridiculous that all those years of saving up are going on just making ends meet."

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A female Baby Boomer from NSW said: "If you can't afford the rising mortgage payments, you lose the house. Can't afford the fuel, you lose the job. Can't afford the Doctor, your health suffers and the Casualty Department becomes stressed. Can't afford the food, your health and life suffer".

Only one in 10 survey respondents so far say they are feeling more positive about the future, down from one in three in 2025.

But people are finding support in strong relationships, with 50 per cent of people rating their personal relationships as a nine 9 or 10 out of 10 - compared to about a third in 2025.

Click on the image above to start the Heartbeat survey now.

Three out of five people say they are planning to travel in Australia for holidays over the next 12 months, with a third planning on heading overseas.

In another indication of cost-of-living constraints on household budgets, only one in 10 survey participants plan to buy a new or used petrol car in the coming year compared to almost one in five who are considering an EV or hybrid.

The 2026 Heartbeat of Australia survey is the fifth annual national study of consumer sentiment, community wellbeing and the role of local news by ACM, the publisher of this masthead, and the University of Canberra's News and Media Research Centre.

Click above to do the 2026 Heartbeat of Australia survey.

The purpose of the survey is to understand how people across Australia, especially in the regions, are feeling - about their lives, where they live, the future and how they stay informed and connected.

The findings help the News and Media Research Centre's continuing studies of how access to local news and information affects community wellbeing, including its Australian Research Council-funded research project tracking, understanding and engaging news audiences.

Survey participants can go into a draw to win one of five $500 e-gift cards.