Financial Security
Tracking 9 benchmarks of financial well being — from investments, home ownership, and retirement savings — across American adults, 2000 to 2022.
The Sightlines Project
CROSS-CUTTING FINDING

A midlife squeeze: today’s middle-aged adults are worse off than past generations at the same age — a trend unique to this age group.

Across Emergency Funds, Retirement Savings, and Poverty Risk, Americans ages 45-54 and 55-64 are the only groups moving in the wrong direction — while every other age bracket, from 25-34 through 75+, improved on the same measures over the same period.

Middle age lost ground while younger and older Americans gained

Change in the share of Americans meeting each benchmark, 2007 to 2022, by age group

Ages 25–44 Ages 45–64 Ages 65+

Hover over or tap a bar for the 2007 and 2022 rates.

EXPLORE THE BENCHMARKS

● Insurance coverage

3 of 9 benchmarks

Health Insurance
92.3% ↑ 5%
health insurance coverage
Life Insurance
58.0% ↓ 15%
have life insurance
Long Term Disability/Care Insurance
13.6% ↓ 11%
have LTC or disability insurance

● Financial strain

2 of 9 benchmarks

Chronic Debt
54.9% ↑ 3%
currently smoking
Poverty Risk
25.4% ↓ 4%
at risk of poverty

● Financial assets

4 of 9 benchmarks

Retirements Savings
56.8% ↓ 2.4%
have retirement savings
Investments
69.7% ↓ 7%
hold an investment account
Home ownership
61.0% ↓ 8%
own their home
Emergency Funds
72.8% ↑ 4%
have accessible emergency savings