Unmasking Financial Struggles in 2025

In 2025, many Americans are still fighting to keep their heads above water, especially those living on the edge. Low-income individuals, people with disabilities, and workers in dangerous jobs are facing financial and emotional pressures that seem to grow heavier each year.

To understand how these challenges have evolved since our 2023 research, we surveyed over 1,000 people about their money habits, stress levels, and ability to plan for the future. Their answers shed light on the human cost of inflation and instability and reveal how resilience is being tested in new ways.

Key takeaways

• The average American needs an annual salary of $103,541 to feel financially secure, compared to individuals with medical conditions ($88,445), workers in high-risk jobs ($78,630), and low-income individuals ($61,634).

• Individuals with medical conditions and low-income individuals are most likely to experience severe mental health effects due to financial challenges (both 47%).

• Just 1 in 4 individuals with medical conditions are aware of available resources or programs.

• Low-income individuals say their biggest struggle when trying to access government benefits is proving their eligibility (43%).

• Individuals with medical conditions are the most confident in their level of financial literacy.

• 91% of individuals with medical conditions said they face financial challenges due to their condition impacting their ability to work.

• More than half of low-income individuals (55%) have applied for government benefits, yet only 32% feel the assistance they receive meets their basic needs. This is up 14% compared to 2 years ago.

Americans sacrifice health and well-being to stay afloat

In 2025, the income Americans need to feel stable remains out of reach for many, especially those already facing hardship.

The average American reported needing an annual salary of $103,541 to feel financially secure. For comparison, in 2023, Americans said they needed an annual salary of $74,688 to feel financially secure.

This figure was lower for vulnerable groups, at $88,445 for those with medical conditions, $78,630 for workers in high-risk jobs, and $61,634 for low-income individuals. 

Financial safety nets varied sharply, with just 1 in 4 individuals with medical conditions or dangerous jobs able to survive for three or more months without income, while 29% of low-income individuals said they would run out of money in under a week. Perceived security was also uneven, as 77% of low-income Americans rated their financial stability as low, compared to 55% of those with medical conditions and 58% of workers in dangerous jobs.

Across all groups, delaying healthcare was the most common financial sacrifice when trying to stay afloat. Low-income individuals were 37% more likely to skip meals or sell belongings, while 45% of those with medical conditions or dangerous jobs worked while sick or injured to make ends meet.

The hidden costs of financial instability

Financial strain impacts more than just a person's savings, taking a toll on physical health, emotional well-being, and long-term stability. Ongoing money challenges are shaping lives in ways that go far beyond the numbers.

Similar to our 2023 survey results, individuals with medical conditions and low-income individuals were the most likely to experience severe mental health effects from financial challenges. Both groups reported rates of 47% this year. Yet, only 1 in 5 low-income Americans felt comfortable talking about it. For many, these struggles were compounded by other pressures: 91% of individuals with medical conditions said their condition limited their ability to work, directly affecting their financial stability.

The emotional toll showed up in everyday life. People with medical conditions reported trouble sleeping due to money worries an average of nine days in the past month, while low-income individuals and high-risk workers lost sleep an average of eight days. Long-term financial goals also remained out of reach, with 67% of low-income individuals, 61% of high-risk workers, and 58% of those with medical conditions unable to save for the future.

High-risk jobs come with financial instability, and most workers aren't prepared

Physically demanding and dangerous jobs pay the bills but also bring unique financial vulnerabilities. Workers in high-risk roles are coping with uncertainty, limited savings, and the added costs of the job.

More than half of workers in dangerous jobs (54%) said the risks of their work affect their financial security, yet only 29% felt prepared for the income disruption that could follow an injury. Gen Z workers were less concerned about financial risk, with 57% saying job hazards didn't affect them, while millennials and Gen X were more cautious, at 44% and 43%.

Injuries were far from rare. Over one-third of workers in dangerous jobs reported that an injury had a financial impact, and more than 1 in 10 described the effect as significant. For many, the fallout extended over weeks or months: 34% missed up to three months of work, and 20% were out for three months or longer. Nearly half (46%) continued working through their injuries without taking any time off, which is much higher than the 21% who reported the same in our 2023 study.

Financial literacy gaps limit access to support for vulnerable workers

Knowing how to manage money and navigate available resources can be the key to stability, but many vulnerable workers lack the tools and information they need.

Only 1 in 4 individuals with medical conditions knew about available financial resources, and among those who did, 43% were unsure if they were even eligible. Individuals with medical conditions reported the highest financial literacy, while 77% of low-income individuals rated their knowledge as low, compared to 55% of those with medical conditions and 58% of workers in dangerous jobs.

More than half of low-income respondents had applied for government benefits, and women were 25% more likely than men to have done so. Proving eligibility and long application processing times continue to be their top roadblocks to accessing government benefits. Among those who received aid, only 32% felt the assistance was enough to meet basic needs. This percentage is low, but a modest 14% improvement from two years ago.

Approval rates for certain programs were especially low. Just 7% of applicants for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) were approved, and only 21% of low-income individuals said they encountered no difficulties accessing benefits. Medicaid was the most commonly used program, accessed by 64% of low-income individuals and 44% of those with medical conditions.

Methodology

For this campaign, we surveyed 1,053 Americans to explore how financial challenges are shaping their sense of security, emotional well-being, and ability to plan for the future. Among respondents, 25% were individuals with medical conditions, 22% were low-income individuals (defined as those with an annual household income under $35,000), 20% worked in dangerous or physically demanding jobs, and 33% were in the general population.

The average age of respondents was 40 years old. In terms of gender identity, 52% were men, 47% were women, and 1% were non-binary. The generational breakdown included 6% baby boomers, 24% Gen X, 51% Millennials, and 19% Gen Z.

This study continues our 2023 research, "Unmasking Financial Struggles: Insights on Diverse Challenges Americans Face," which examined many of these same issues two years prior.

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