CNBC and SurveyMonkey Quarterly Money Survey: Affordability (July 2026)

Key findings

Half of Americans (53%) are more stressed about their finances now compared to one year ago

This financial stress is fueled primarily by a lack of savings (45%), credit card debt (30%), auto insurance costs (25%), and medical bills (23%). This anxiety is compounded by economic pessimism: 50% believe that the U.S. economy will worsen over the next year due to the rising cost of living (79%), government policy (68%), and international turmoil (62%).

63% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, and 90% of them have less than $500 left over each month after expenses 

While only 12% of those earning $250,000 or more identify as living paycheck-to-paycheck, this rises to 41% for those making between $100,000 and $249,999, 64% for those in the $50,000 to $99,999 bracket, and an overwhelming 81% for households earning below $50,000 annually.

Overall, 37% of Americans either just break even (20%) or fall into a deficit (17%) after expenses each month; among those living paycheck to paycheck, 90% have less than $500 left over, and nearly half (47%) are in a deficit or break even.

The margin for error also is extremely narrow for those struggling with limited income after expenses; 71% of people living paycheck to paycheck say a one-week delay in pay would cause a major hardship (50%) or a critical emergency (21%), while only 23% see it as a minor inconvenience and 6% see no impact. To cope with such disruptions, paycheck-to-paycheck Americans report:

Mismatched or infrequent paycheck schedules further exacerbate financial anxiety: 61% of Americans living paycheck to paycheck report that their pay schedule does not align with the timing of their expenses. Consequently, 44% have incurred late fees, interest, or bank overdraft charges in the last six months simply while waiting for their next paycheck to arrive.

Three in four (76%) Americans carry some form of debt, with more than half (52%) spending at least 25% of their income on paying it off

Only 24% of Americans are debt free: credit card balances are the most common liability, with 42% of Americans carrying a balance month over month, followed by auto loans (30%), mortgages (27%), medical debt (24%), personal loans (22%), student loans (18%), and Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) balances (13%). Debt levels are also on the rise: 42% of Americans report carrying more debt than the previous year, compared to just 24% who saw their debt shrink over the same timeframe.

While a majority of those in debt report feeling “comfortable” (15%) or are “managing” (39%), 46% are “struggling” (32%) or “falling behind” (14%). More than half of debtors (52%) dedicate a substantial portion of their monthly income go to servicing their debt:

The financial burden of debt is forcing 61% of Americans to delay major life milestones, ranging from saving for retirement to marriage

Debt is also preventing Americans from achieving foundational life milestones, with 61% having delayed short and long-term choices due to the burden. Beyond immediate setbacks like delaying or skipping vacations (37%), debt has held back 32% of Americans from saving for retirement, 23% from buying or leasing a vehicle, and 22% from buying a home. This impact  also extends to personal life choices: 15% have delayed renting an apartment, 13% have put off medical care, 13% have delayed or decided not to start a business, 12% have delayed going back to school, 9% have pushed back marriage, and 8% have deferred starting a family.

The path to financial freedom for Americans remains a long-term challenge for many: excluding mortgage debt, only 16% of Americans expect to be debt-free within the next year.