A Record 51% of Americans No Longer Feel Financially Secure
Americans have spent the past few years navigating higher prices, rising debt costs, and uneven wage growth across the country. On July 16, 2025, Bankrate reported that a record 51% of U.S. adults said they do not feel financially secure, the highest level since the company began asking the question in 2021. The survey adds a new national data point to a broader cost-of-living story that is affecting households in cities, suburbs, and small towns alike.
Bankrate reports the highest level since 2021
Bankrate said 51% of U.S. adults now say they do not feel financially secure, while 49% said they do, according to the survey released July 16, 2025. The company said this is the highest share reporting insecurity since it first asked the question in 2021.
The survey also found a gap by generation, with younger adults reporting more financial strain than older groups, according to Bankrate. That matters because Gen Z and millennials are more likely to be dealing with rent increases, student loan payments, and higher credit card rates in 2025.
Bankrate analyst Sarah Foster said prices remain a major pressure point for many households, even as inflation has cooled from its 2022 peak. The report framed the result as a sign that many people still feel behind, despite low unemployment and steady consumer spending in recent federal data.
What the numbers mean around the country
The Bankrate survey is national, so it does not break out results for individual states, counties, or metro areas such as Los Angeles, Chicago, or Houston. Bankrate has not released a full state-by-state list showing where financial insecurity is rising fastest.
What is confirmed is the national split: 51% said they do not feel financially secure, compared with 49% who said they do. That makes 2025 the first year in Bankrate’s tracking since 2021 in which a majority reported feeling insecure.
The broad result is relatable across regions because household budgets are often shaped by local costs such as rent, groceries, transportation, and insurance. Federal data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics has shown that shelter, food, and auto-related costs have remained important parts of monthly spending pressure in 2024 and 2025.
Inflation, debt costs, and everyday bills remain key drivers
Bankrate attributed the record result largely to lingering inflation and elevated interest rates, with Sarah Foster saying many Americans are still adjusting to a higher-cost economy. Even after inflation slowed from the 9.1% annual rate recorded by the Consumer Price Index in June 2022, many prices remained well above pre-2020 levels.
Higher borrowing costs are another piece of the picture in 2025, especially for households carrying credit card balances or looking for auto loans. Federal Reserve rate increases since 2022 pushed up lending costs, and Bankrate said that has made it harder for some consumers to feel stable month to month.
For residents and travelers alike, the practical effect is simple: discretionary spending may stay under pressure while essentials take a bigger share of the budget. Bankrate’s July 2025 findings suggest the financial mood of the country remains cautious, even as job growth and consumer activity continue in official economic reports.
