The Midwest once offered an affordable escape from coastal prices. Now residents are stretching paychecks thin, and cost of living is shaping their votes in the midterms. NPR's Midwest Newsroom reporters Holly Edgell and Daniel Wheaton interviewed people across Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, and Iowa about groceries, rent, child care, and student debt. Grace Englehart pet-sits and tutors to cover gas, while Chuck Martins, 77, does yard work to reduce his rent. Food prices rose nearly 3% over the past year, with beef up nearly 12%. In a follow-up survey, every respondent ranked affordability among their top five election concerns. Many doubt that a single midterm election will bring quick relief. Nebraska's median rent has climbed nearly 29% since 2019 and now tops $1,000 a month.