A 2025 Bank of America Institute analysis defines "living paycheck to paycheck" as households spending more than 95% of their income on necessities such as housing, gasoline, groceries, utility bills, and internet service.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Operational definition used by the Bank of America Institute to classify households' financial strain.
A 2025 Bank of America Institute estimate found that nearly a quarter of all U.S. households were living paycheck to paycheck in 2025.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Aggregate estimate of household financial strain in the United States.
A 2025 Bank of America Institute analysis found roughly 29% of lower-income households were living paycheck to paycheck in 2025, up from 27.1% in 2023.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Income-segmented finding showing an increase in financial vulnerability among lower-income households.