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Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

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Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking

Adults doing worse off than 12 months ago

Percent

Characteristic	Worse off
2014	21
2015	19
2016	17
2017	15
2018	13
2019	14
2020	24
2021	20
2022	35

Note: Among all adults.

Adults doing worse off than 12 months ago, by education

Percent

Characteristic	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
Less than a high school degree	34	31	28	20	23	18	36	33	40
High school degree or GED	22	19	18	16	14	15	26	24	38
Some college or associate degree	23	19	18	17	14	15	26	23	36
Bachelor's degree or more	16	15	14	12	10	10	18	13	31

Note: Among all adults.

Adults doing worse off than 12 months ago, by race/ethnicity

Percent

Characteristic	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
Asian	15	11	10	12	11	11	22	9	24
Black	19	15	15	18	16	15	27	18	22
Hispanic	20	18	17	18	17	16	30	22	33
White	22	20	19	14	12	13	22	21	38

Note: Among all adults.

Adults doing worse off than 12 months ago, by metro/non-metro status

Percent

Characteristic	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
Non-Metro	23	22	18	15	14	15	27	24	40
Metro	21	18	17	15	13	13	24	20	34

Note: Among all adults.

Worse off financially than 12 months ago, by parental status

Percent

Characteristic	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
Parents living with own children under age 18	20	18	17	14	15	31	21	35
All other adults	18	17	14	13	13	22	20	34

Note: Among all adults.

Data visualization disclaimer

Last Update: May 22, 2023