Jon Kamp, Joe Pinsker and Aaron Zitner:

The economy is humming. Inflation has cooled off. Americans are well-employed, getting raises and spending freely.

But—with an election in less than two weeks—people still haven’t gotten over how much higher prices are today than in 2020.

People find it unsettling that price tags don’t look like they did before inflation took off during the pandemic, surging to the highest level in four decades. Even though the growth in prices has eased significantly, prices themselves aren’t getting lower.

“It’s hard to adjust,” said Marilyn Huang, a 54-year-old engineer in Doylestown, Pa.

As with many Americans, Huang’s pay has increased since 2020, and she and her partner continue to spend on travel and even dine out more than in the past. But the higher prices are aggravating.

“You lived with these stable prices for all your life,” she said. “Mentally, it’s hard.”