Nearly 1 in 4 Lower-Income Americans Frequently Feel Ashamed About Their Finances, Figures Show

Nearly one-quarter of lower-income Americans frequently feel ashamed about their finances, according to a Pew Research Center analysis that reveals how sharply people's emotional relationship with money differs across income groups.

The report found that 23% of lower-income adults felt ashamed about their financial situation very or extremely often. That compares with 12% of middle-income adults and 3% of upper-income adults, a 20-percentage-point gap between the lowest and highest income groups.

The finding sits alongside broader evidence of financial insecurity as affordability concerns dominate the weeks leading into the 2026 midterm elections. Across the country, Americans described difficulty covering necessities, limited emergency savings and persistent worries about their financial futures.

Shame was one part of that picture. Feeling stuck was the most commonly reported frequent emotion among lower-income adults, at 43%. Among middle-income adults, 29% frequently felt stuck, compared with 12% of upper-income adults.

Financial pride showed the opposite pattern. Forty-five percent of upper-income adults frequently felt proud of their financial situation, compared with 24% of middle-income adults and 19% of lower-income adults.

Those emotional differences accompanied substantial gaps in the ability to afford everyday needs. Among lower-income adults, 71% reported at least one of four hardships during the previous year: trouble paying for medical care, transportation or housing, or obtaining food from a food bank or pantry. That compared with 39% of middle-income adults and 13% of upper-income adults.

People experiencing those hardships were considerably more likely to turn to others or short-term lenders for money. Half of adults who struggled with at least one of those necessities said they had borrowed from friends or family, compared with 8% of those who had not experienced such difficulties. Thirty-one percent had taken out a payday or other short-term loan, versus 4% among adults without those hardships.

Those patterns held across income groups. Financial pressure also reached parents trying to cover childcare. Thirty percent of lower-income parents with children younger than 18 reported trouble paying for childcare during the previous year. The share fell to 15% among middle-income parents and 6% among upper-income parents.

Nearly half of lower-income adults worried daily or almost daily about paying bills, at 49%, and saving for retirement, at 48%. Forty-three percent worried that frequently about healthcare costs, while 42% worried about their debt. Buying enough food was a daily or near-daily concern for 41%, and 39% worried as frequently about paying rent or a mortgage.

Nationally, 53% of adults lacked emergency savings sufficient to cover three months of expenses. More than one-quarter could not fully pay their monthly bills, and 54% said they had been unable to save for the future during the previous year.

Still, the findings did not show uniformly negative attitudes. Thirty percent of lower-income adults frequently felt hopeful about their finances, while 24% felt content. Thirty-five percent believed they were doing better than most Americans at meeting basic expenses, compared with 19% who thought they were worse off. Another 44% considered themselves about the same.

Across all income levels, 37% frequently felt hopeful, and 36% felt content, even as 30% frequently felt stuck. The analysis draws on two summer surveys, including an August 24-30 survey of 5,166 adults who also completed an earlier survey. Family income categories were based on adjusted 2025 earnings.