National Survey: Middle‑Income Americans Continue to Navigate Elevated Cost of Living and Economic Uncertainty
Concerns over money and finances remains at a near-record high
“Middle‑income families are making tough decisions every day to cover the essentials and save for the future, and it continues to shape how they perceive the overall economy, with many feeling less confident and more cautious about what lies ahead,” said
Middle‑income Americans continue to rate the economy poorly. More than three-quarters (80%) rate it negatively — a figure that has remained consistent over the past year. Amid ongoing economic uncertainty, a strong majority (83%) say they want to take steps to protect themselves financially for the long term — yet only 36% are actually doing so.
“The data shows how hard middle‑income families are working to stay afloat in an increasingly uncertain economic landscape,” said
Additional key findings from Primerica’s Q2 2025 U.S. Middle-Income Financial Security Monitor™ (FSM™):
- Middle-income Americans remain stressed at near record-high levels. A majority (61%) continue to report feeling “stressed” about money and finances, with nearly half (45%) saying they feel “discouraged.” Those who use a financial professional are less likely to say they are stressed and discouraged and more likely to say they are “confident” or “proud.”
- Credit cards increasingly serve as a financial lifeline. About 39% of middle-income Americans say they have increased their credit card use, an 11‑point rise from Q1 2025 and the highest level recorded since early 2023. Meanwhile, just 32% pay their credit card balance in full each month, and 60% say their credit card debt has increased or remained the same.
- Many feel underprepared, increasingly concerned about retirement. Nearly two-thirds (63%) do not believe they are saving enough to retire comfortably, and 39% aren’t participating in an employer‑sponsored retirement or life insurance benefit, citing affordability as the primary barrier.
- Saving for the future remains a challenge for most. Nearly three-quarters (71%) of middle-income Americans rate their ability to save for the future negatively, and nearly 40% report only having enough money to cover basic needs for one month or less should the primary breadwinner in their household lose their job.
Primerica Financial Security Monitor™ (FSM™) Topline Trends Data
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Jun
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Mar
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Dec
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Sept
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Jun
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Mar
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Dec
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Sept
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Jun
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How would you rate the condition of your personal finances? |
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Share reporting “Excellent” or “Good.” |
46% |
48% |
45% |
44% |
49% |
50% |
50% |
49% |
50% |
|
Analysis : Respondents’ assessments of their personal finances are down slightly from where they were a year ago. |
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Overall, would you say your income is…? |
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|
Share reporting “Falling behind the cost of living” |
65% |
69% |
65% |
68% |
66% |
67% |
68% |
72% |
71% |
|
Share reporting “Stayed about even with the cost of living” |
24% |
23% |
29% |
24% |
26% |
25% |
24% |
20% |
22% |
|
Analysis: Concern about meeting the increased cost of living remained steady. |
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And in the next year, do you think the American economy will be…? |
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|
Share reporting “Worse off than it is now” |
61% |
76% |
55% |
25% |
40% |
46% |
53% |
56% |
57% |
|
Share reporting “Uncertain” |
4% |
4% |
9% |
34% |
19% |
18% |
9% |
9% |
9% |
|
Analysis:
The share of respondents expecting the economy to worsen over the next year has improved sharply since the previous poll in |
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|
Do you have an emergency fund that would cover an expense of |
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|
Reporting “Yes” responses |
60% |
64% |
59% |
61% |
63% |
62% |
60% |
62% |
61% |
|
Analysis:
The percentage of Americans who have an emergency fund that would cover an expense of |
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How would you rate the economic health of your community? |
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Reporting “Not so good” and “Poor” responses |
59% |
66% |
63% |
63% |
58% |
60% |
57% |
55% |
54% |
|
Analysis: Respondents’ rating of the economic health of their communities has stayed about the same over the past year. |
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How would you rate your ability to save for the future? |
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|
Reporting “Not so good” and “Poor” responses |
71% |
71% |
71% |
73% |
68% |
67% |
73% |
71% |
71% |
|
Analysis: A significant majority continue to feel it is difficult to save for the future. |
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In the past three months, has your credit card debt…? |
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Reporting “Increased” responses |
31% |
31% |
34% |
35% |
30% |
34% |
35% |
34% |
33% |
|
Analysis: Credit card debt has remained about the same over the past year. |
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About Primerica’s Middle-Income Financial Security Monitor™ (FSM™)
Since
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View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250714295664/en/
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