Affordability Still Dominates Americans' Financial Worries

Key Points:

• The high cost of living remains the top financial concern for Americans, cited by 31%, with energy and housing costs tied as the second-biggest worries at 13%, marking the highest mention of energy costs since 2008.
• Affordability issues, including inflation, energy, housing, healthcare, college, transportation, and childcare expenses, dominate financial concerns, far exceeding worries about taxes, the economy, stock market, interest rates, and Social Security.
• Americans' financial outlook remains pessimistic, with only 46% rating their current finances as "excellent" or "good," and a record 55% saying their financial situation is worsening, continuing a trend similar to the Great Recession period.
• Majorities express concern about retirement savings (62%), medical costs (60%), investment returns (54%), and maintaining their standard of living (54%), with these worries elevated compared to 2021 and largely unchanged from 2024.
• Despite inflation rates declining since their peak in 2022, Americans' financial perceptions remain cautious due to the lingering effects of sustained inflation during and after the pandemic, keeping affordability as the main financial challenge.