Appendix B: Consumer Responses to Survey Questions

Please enable JavaScript if it is disabled in your browser or access the information through the links provided below.

Overview Appendix A: July 2020 Survey Questionnaire Appendix B: Consumer Responses to Survey Questions

Appendix B: Consumer Responses to Survey Questions

Questions are listed below in the order in which they were presented to respondents. Questions with fewer than 4,174 respondents were not asked to the full sample, and the question-specific screening criteria are available in appendix A. All data are weighted to yield estimates for the U.S. adult population.

General Well-Being Section

Question B2. Overall, which one of the following best describes how well you are managing financially these days?

Response	Percent
Refused	0
Finding it difficult to get by	6
Just getting by	17
Doing okay	40
Living comfortably	37

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Emergency Fund Section

Question EF3. Suppose that you have an emergency expense that costs $400. Based on your current financial situation, how would you pay for this expense?

Response	Percent
Put it on my credit card and pay it off in full at the next statement	38
Put it on my credit card and pay it off over time	14
With the money currently in my checking/savings account or with cash	46
Using money from a bank loan or line of credit	2
By borrowing from a friend or family member	6
Using a payday loan, deposit advance, or overdraft	1
By selling something	4
I wouldn't be able to pay for the expense right now	10

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question EF5A. Which best describes your ability to pay all of your bills in full in July?

Response	Percent
Refused	0
Able to pay all bills	85
Can't pay some bills	14

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question EF6A. Which of the following bills are you unable to pay in full in July?

Response	Percent
Rent or mortgage	21
Credit card	44
Water, gas, or electric bill	31
Phone or cable bill	27
Car payment	14
Student loan	12
Other bills	31

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 556.

Question EF7_a. How confident are you that you will be able to pay all of your bills in full in August?

Response	Percent
Refused	0
Not at all confident	8
Slightly confident	12
Moderately confident	21
Very confident	59

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question EF7_b. How confident are you that you will be able to pay all of your bills in full in September?

Response	Percent
Refused	1
Not at all confident	8
Slightly confident	13
Moderately confident	21
Very confident	57

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Coronavirus Labor Section

Question CV1. Which one of the following best describes your employment status last week?

Response	Percent
Refused	0
Employed	51
Self-employed	7
Not working, but being paid my normal wages	1
Temporarily laid off or furloughed	4
Not employed, but looking for a job	5
Not employed and not looking for a job	31

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question CV2. Thinking about the work you did last week, how much of it did you do by telecommuting or working from home?

Response	Percent
Refused	0
None	54
Some	14
All	31

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 2,378.

Question CV2A. On the most recent day that you went to work outside your home, about how many people did you have direct contact with at your job?

Response	Percent
Refused	0
None	15
1 to 2	17
3 to 5	20
6 to 9	13
10 to 19	12
20 or more	22

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 1,600.

Question CV4. Have you experienced or done each of the following at any time since March 1st (the onset of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. known as COVID-19)?

Response	Percent
Lost a job, got laid off, or told not to work any hours	14
Voluntarily quit or changed jobs	4
Started a new job	5
Reduced hours or took unpaid leave	13
Increased hours worked or worked overtime	14

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question CV5. Do you expect to return to the same employer that you worked for before you lost a job, were laid off, or were told not to work?

Response	Percent
Refused	1
No, do not expect to return to the same employer	32
Yes, employer expressed this is temporary but did not provide a return date	29
Yes, employer provided definite return date	7
Yes, already returned to work for the same employer	30

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 588.

Question CV11. Thinking about precautions that your employer/the employer you worked for most recently is taking to prevent the spread of COVID-19, do you think they are taking:

Response	Percent
Refused	1
Not enough precautions	18
About the right amount of precautions	74
Too many precautions	7

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 2,749.

Question CV11A. If your local schools do not have in-person classes in the fall, how would that impact the amount of work for pay you do at your job?

Response	Percent
Refused	0
No effect on the amount you work at your job	83
Cause you to work more	7
Cause you to work less	9
Cause you to stop working	2

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 2,438.

Coronavirus Family Financial Circumstances

Question CV8. Thinking about all the income you and your spouse/partner received, how did your income last month (June) compare to your income in February before the onset of COVID-19?

Response	Percent
Refused	0
Much lower	9
Somewhat lower	14
About the same	66
Somewhat higher	8
Much higher	3

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question CV12. Since March 2020, have you and/or your spouse/partner received any payment relief or payment delay from your landlord or mortgage lender?

Response	Percent
Refused	0
Yes	5
No	95

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 3,246.

Question CV12A. Since March 2020, did you and/or your spouse/partner request any payment relief or payment delay from your landlord or mortgage lender that you did not receive?

Response	Percent
Refused	0
Yes	2
No	98

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 3,091.

Question CV13A. When your payment relief ends, will you and/or your spouse/partner have to make increased payments each month or a lump-sum payment to your landlord or mortgage lender to make up for the relief you received?

Response	Percent
Yes	33
No	43
Don't know	24

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 155.

Question CV13B. How confident are you that you and/or your spouse/partner will be able to resume making your monthly payments, including any increased monthly payments or lump sum payments, when the relief from your landlord or mortgage lender ends?

Response	Percent
Not at all confident	19
Slightly confident	32
Moderately confident	21
Very confident	28

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 155.

Question CV14. Since March 2020, have you and/or your spouse/partner paid your rent using a credit card that you will carry a balance on, a cash advance, or an advance on your security deposit?

Response	Percent
Refused	0
Yes	4
No	96

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 1,105.

Question CV15. Since March 2020, have you and/or your spouse/partner received any payment relief or payment delay from regular bills other than your rent or mortgage, such as a student loan, utility bill, or car payment?

Response	Percent
Refused	0
Yes	12
No	88

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question CV16_a. Since March 2020, have you and/or your spouse/partner either received or applied for each of the following forms of income or assistance, or not?

Response	Percent
Refused	0
Received	11
Applied for but not received	3
Did not apply for and did not receive	85

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question CV16_b. Since March 2020, have you and/or your spouse/partner either received or applied for each of the following forms of income or assistance, or not?

Response	Percent
Refused	0
Received	10
Applied for but not received	2
Did not apply for and did not receive	88

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question CV16_c. Since March 2020, have you and/or your spouse/partner either received or applied for each of the following forms of income or assistance, or not?

Response	Percent
Refused	0
Received	8
Applied for but not received	1
Did not apply for and did not receive	91

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question CV16_d. Since March 2020, have you and/or your spouse/partner either received or applied for each of the following forms of income or assistance, or not?

Response	Percent
Refused	0
Received	1
Applied for but not received	1
Did not apply for and did not receive	98

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question CV16_e. Since March 2020, have you and/or your spouse/partner either received or applied for each of the following forms of income or assistance, or not?

Response	Percent
Refused	0
Received	4
Applied for but not received	1
Did not apply for and did not receive	94

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 4,174.

Question CV17. How does the income that you and/or your spouse/partner received from unemployment insurance compare to the income that you and/or your spouse/partner previously received at work?

Response	Percent
Refused	1
Income from unemployment insurance is higher than prior income	40
About the same	23
Income from unemployment insurance is lower than prior income	36

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 471.

Question K5A. In the past 12 months, have you borrowed money from or cashed out (permanently withdrawn) money from any of your retirement savings accounts?

Response	Percent
Refused	0
Yes, borrowed money	4
Yes, cashed out	4
Yes, both	1
No	91

Note: Number of unweighted respondents = 2,984.

Respondent Demographics

Summary statistics for demographics

Demographic characteristic	Weighted percent	Unweighted percent
Gender
Male	48	50
Female	52	50
Age ¹
18–29	21	17
30–44	25	23
45–59	25	27
60+	29	33
Education²
Less than high school	9	6
High school degree	28	28
Some college, no associate degree	20	21
Associate degree	9	9
Bachelor's degree or more	33	37
Race and ethnicity
White, non-Hispanic	63	68
Black, non-Hispanic	12	11
Other, non-Hispanic	7	6
Hispanic	16	14
2+ races, non-Hispanic	1	1
Family income ³
Less than $40,000	37	34
$40,000–$100,000	32	33
Greater than $100,000	30	32
Household income
Less than $40,000	25	24
$40,000–$100,000	38	38
Greater than $100,000	37	38
Marital status
Single, not living with partner	36	35
Living with partner	7	6
Married	57	59
Region
Northeast	17	18
Midwest	21	21
South	38	38
West	24	22

1. Mean weighted age = 48. Mean unweighted age = 50. Return to table

2. Education categories are from the October 2019 survey responses. Return to table

3. Family income categories are from the October 2019 survey responses. Return to table

Last Update: June 13, 2022

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

Update on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households: July 2020 Appendixes