52% of Americans are stuck living paycheck to paycheck, says new Ramsey Solutions report — and they don’t expect relief anytime soon. Here’s why

A full 52% of the 1,017 U.S. adults who responded to the study report being stuck in survival mode, burdened by high costs, stagnant wages and mounting distrust in government economic policy. Sadly, this figure has barely budged in more than a year.

Paycheck-to-paycheck fatigue

The situation is definitely more dire for some. One in three adults (33%) described themselves as “struggling” or “in crisis” financially.

Generationally, Gen Z appears to be under the most pressure, with 55% struggling to pay bills and 53% having trouble making rent.

Overall, just 25% of U.S. adults surveyed considered themselves better off financially than they were a year ago.

This persistent gloom isn’t unique to Ramsey’s findings. A Gallup reports a record-high 53% of Americans believe their finances are deteriorating.

A recent Pew Research Center survey shows that roughly 28% of U.S. adults expect their financial situation to get worse within a year — up from just 16% in 2024.

Likewise, a mid‑2025 TransUnion survey found that 27% of U.S. consumers are pessimistic about their household finances over the next 12 months.

Here are some of the factors contributing to Americans’ financial anxiety.

Tariffs, Inflation and a Confidence Gap

Policy uncertainty is weighing on Americans’ wallets and their outlook. The Ramsey report shows that 66% of U.S. adults believe tariffs are hurting their finances, with many blaming rising consumer costs on ongoing trade disputes.

Support for tariffs dropped to 40%, down five points from the previous quarter.

Meanwhile, the study shows that Americans’ concerns about inflation remain high: 61% of the respondents are still extremely or apprehensive about the lasting effects of elevated prices.

The same percentage believe the U.S. economy is heading in the wrong direction, and fewer than half (45%) have confidence that President Donald Trump’s administration can improve it.

Social Security Doubts Add to Unease

Adding to Americans’ financial uncertainty is a growing skepticism about retirement security.

One in three adults (31%) surveyed in the Ramsey study believes Social Security won’t be around by the time they’re 65, a concern shared by nearly half of millennials (45%) and Gen Xers 44%).

What Consumers Can Do Now

For many, all this anxiety reinforces a sense of urgency, but not better habits.