An NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth audience survey of 1,083 respondents found that 33.2% described their finances as "just getting by," 21.5% said they were "struggling to make ends meet," and 4.4% said they were "unable to consistently afford basic needs." The survey is nonscientific. Groceries were the largest expense straining budgets, selected by 27.3% of respondents, followed by utilities at 19.2% and housing at 17.2%. Respondents ages 25 to 34 and 35 to 44 named housing as their biggest financial burden.
Frisco mother of three Graciela Montoya said rising grocery prices have made it harder to stretch her budget. NBC 5 met her at a free lunch program run by Frisco Family Services, where volunteers from Preston Trail Community Church distributed food. Volunteer Runay Hollis said families need help as everyday costs, including gas prices, rise.
Census data cited by NBC 5 shows Frisco's median gross rent rose from $1,222 per month in 2014 to $2,200 in 2024, an increase of about 80%. After adjusting for inflation, the increase was about 36.5%. Montoya said she hopes to return to work in a job that fits her children's school schedule, which would help her family avoid childcare costs.