More than three-quarters of U.S. adults say they are not financially secure, a record share in Bankrate's latest Financial Freedom survey, as inflation and hiring freezes erode purchasing power and career prospects.
What Happened: The poll found 77% feel less than "completely financially secure," up from 75% last year and 72% in 2023, despite a cooling headline inflation rate.
One-quarter of respondents said they would need a $150,000 salary to feel comfortable, and 8% of that group raised the bar to $200,000–$499,999, while another 8% wanted at least $500,000. By contrast, 45% reported they could feel financially secure on under six figures, including 34% who said $50,000–$99,999 would suffice.
Median pay has not kept pace with prices. Bureau of Labor Statistics data show a $100,000 salary in January 2020 now buys what $124,000 did in April 2025, effectively slicing $24,000 from households that missed raises. Average full-time, year-round earnings were $81,515 in 2023, well below the $150,000 that 26% of respondents say they would need to "feel financially secure/comfortable," Bankrate noted.
"Getting rich may have once been what many Americans fantasized about, but now, simply living comfortably feels like the new aspiration, as economic challenges make financial stability a rare luxury," Bankrate analyst and U.S. economy reporter Sarah Foster said. "Many people need to spend more and more every year. However, their income has not increased a lot. Most people's salary is (static)," said Purdue University finance scholar Wookjae Heo.
Why It Matters: A GoBankingRates survey from May shows 55% of Americans still believe they could live comfortably on $100,000 or less in 2025, despite higher prices. Gen Z highlights that optimism, with roughly 21% of 18 to 24-year-olds saying $50,001–$75,000 would be enough, while only 3% insist on $500,000 or more.
A separate SmartAsset study offers a harsher reality, calculating that a single adult now needs $80,829 to $124,467 to feel comfortable in every state, well above the Bureau of Labor Statistics' $62,000 median wage for full-time workers. That shortfall helps explain why many households still feel squeezed even when their paychecks flirt with six figures.
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