NerdWallet Consumer Financial Resilience Index

Financial resilience is a measure of household preparedness for economic challenges.

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Edited by other Updated Jul 21, 2026 How to Pay Off Debt: Top Strategies for 2026 Credit Score Ranges: What They Mean and How They Work How to Budget Money in 5 Steps 28 Proven Ways to Save Money This monthly composite index measures the financial resilience of Americans in a five-question survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of NerdWallet, across financial security, financial strength and economic outlook. Each of the five questions is weighted equally in this composite score, where zero would mean no resilience, and 100 represents perfect financial resilience. Financial resilience has risen over the past two months — measuring 63.1 in July, up from 60.4 when we began measuring in May. This is, in part, due to an improved economic outlook — 60% of Americans currently believe the U.S. economy will enter a recession in the next 12 months, down from 66% in May. However, this survey was fielded July 7-9, and since then, the ceasefire in Iran has fallen apart and gas prices have stopped their brief descent. The financial resilience of households depends in part on their ability to expect economic stability. Improvement over the past two months may not hold if consumers and businesses can’t be sure the economy is on stable footing. Unsurprisingly, high income Americans and older generations are more financially resilient, as measured by this composite. These groups likely have more financial insulation that allows them to handle volatility with less disruption to their way of life. In July, the spread between the oldest and youngest generations’ resilience scores surpassed 20 points — 75 among baby boomers compared to 51.9 among Gen Zers, 58 among millennials and 62.9 among Gen Xers. Note: The survey defines Gen Zers as those 18-29; millennials, ages 30-45; Gen Xers, ages 46-61 and baby boomers, ages 62-80. Note: The survey defines Gen Zers as those 18-29; millennials, ages 30-45; Gen Xers, ages 46-61 and baby boomers, ages 62-80. Financial Security Financial Security Financial Strength Financial Strength Economic Outlook Economic Outlook

Financial Security

Financial security is a subjective measure of personal financial control and confidence. It’s the psychological aspect of resilience — how people feel about their financial conditions.

77%: Americans who feel in control of their day-to-day finances.

Baby boomers (89%) are most likely to feel this sense of control compared to Gen Xers (75%), millennials (75%) and Gen Zers (61%).

79%: Americans who are confident in their ability to pay all of their bills on time this month.

Baby boomers remain the most likely to be confident in their ability to pay all of their bills on time this month — 94% versus 80% of Gen Xers, 76% of millennials and 60% of Gen Zers.

Financial Strength

Financial strength goes beyond how people feel. It measures concrete financial capacity and stress.

33%: Americans who will have to rely on credit to manage at least some of their expenses this month.

Having a higher household income doesn’t entirely eliminate this dependence. Across all but the highest household income ranges, roughly equal shares will have to rely on credit (e.g., credit cards, BNPL, loans) to manage some or all of their expenses this month: 40% of those with household incomes less than $50k, 38% in the $50k-$74.9k range and 34% in the $75k-$99.9k range. This compared to 29% of those with household incomes of $100k or more. Parents of children under age 18 are more likely to have to rely on credit to manage at least some of their expenses this month — 45% versus 28% of people without children under 18.

65%: Americans with enough cash on hand to cover an unexpected $1,000 expense, should one arise this month.

The difference across income groups is dramatic: 81% of those with household incomes of $100k or more have enough cash on hand to cover such an expense, compared to 58% with incomes in the $50k-$99.9k range, and just 42% of those with household incomes less than $50k.

Economic Outlook

Economic outlook measures consumer expectations about future macroeconomic conditions.

60%: Americans who believe the U.S. economy will enter a recession in the next 12 months.

Lower-middle-income Americans are more likely to believe this than those with the highest household incomes: 67% of those with household incomes between $50k and $74.5k compared with 59% of those with household incomes of $100k or more. This is the longest-standing measure in our index. We’ve been asking about recession expectations since August 2025, when it was at 61%. INDEX METHODOLOGY INDEX METHODOLOGY Cite as NerdWallet (2026). “July 2026 Consumer Financial Resilience Index.” Retrieved from https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/studies/financial-resilience-index This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of NerdWallet from July 7-9, 2026, among 2,089 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.7 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of interest. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact press@nerdwallet.com. All five questions across this survey are weighted equally to develop a composite score with a maximum value of 100. Explore more on About the author Renter As NerdWallet’s Senior Economist, Elizabeth Renter spends her time analyzing economic trends and data to help people make more informed decisions about their personal finances. Her work has been cited by The New York Times, The Washington Post, the "Today" show, CNBC and elsewhere. Prior to joining NerdWallet in 2014, she was a freelance journalist. She received a Masters of Science in Finance and Economics from West Texas A&M University, and focused her elective coursework on macroeconomics and analytics. When she’s not at work, Elizabeth enjoys college football, old houses, traveling to old cities and powerlifting. She is based in Durham, North Carolina. Published in Get Your Free Credit Score By NerdWallet How to Pay Off Debt: Top Strategies for 2026 By Lauren Schwahn, Jackie Veling 50/30/20 Budget Calculator By Amanda Barroso, Elizabeth Ayoola