It’s easy, and fairly common, to feel like you’re lagging behind everyone else when it comes to finances.
Fifty-three percent of Americans surveyed by Navigator in July said they feel behind where they thought they would be financially [1]. An identical majority (53%) expressed uneasiness with their personal financial situation over the next few months, with a quarter also saying they are “very” uneasy (26%). With the gloomy outlook on jobs and the economy, coupled with stubborn inflation, it’s easy to see why Americans are jittery.
But the threshold for the top 50% by certain financial parameters is surprisingly low. It doesn’t take much to put yourself in a better position than around half the country’s adults. In fact, if you can check off just one of the three boxes below, you’re already in the top half or close to it by some measure.
Here’s a closer look.
As of 2025, a whopping 57% of American adults say they are living paycheck to paycheck, according to MarketWatch Guides [2]. And it shouldn’t come as a surprise that younger Americans are more likely to live like this. Sixty-five percent of millennials and 72% of Gen Z Americans said they fit into this category.
“Living paycheck to paycheck means having little to no money remaining after paying for basic expenses such as rent and utilities,” said MarketWatch. “Someone living paycheck to paycheck would be at risk of not being able to pay bills or afford necessities if they missed a single payday. Living paycheck to paycheck can make it difficult to build an emergency fund, save for the future or splurge occasionally.”
In other words, if you can manage to save even a little money at the end of every month — whether by cutting back on expenses or boosting income — you’ll be ahead of more than half of the country’s population. If you’re young and saving money, congratulations, you’re in an elite group of financial ninjas!
It’s perfectly natural to worry about money from time to time. Even billionaires probably worry about taxes or stock market crashes. But if you’re worrying about finances frequently, it could be a bright red flag.
Astonishingly, 52% of Americans surveyed by Ramsey Solutions in June 2025 said they worry about their finances on a daily basis [3]. Also, 34% of Americans are losing sleep over money.
That’s the harsh reality for many Americans. But if your finances are stable enough to allow you to forget about money issues occasionally, consider yourself lucky. You’re doing better — both financially and psychologically — than half the nation.
Read more: Rich, young Americans are ditching stocks — here are the alternative assets they’re banking on instead
Given that most Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck and worrying about their finances daily, it shouldn’t be surprising that many are also struggling to secure their future financial needs.
According to a poll by Gallup, 59% of Americans have at least some money saved in a retirement account, either alone or with a spouse [4]. However, younger Americans are far less likely to have such savings. Only 39% of adults between the ages of 18 and 29 said they have money invested in a retirement savings plan.
So, if you have even a modest nest egg set aside you’re probably doing better than 41% of Americans, and if you’re saving for retirement before the age of 29, you’re outperforming six out of ten peers.
If you check even one of the boxes mentioned above you’re doing better than most or many Americans. If you check all three, you’re meeting the bare minimum for financial success. However, to improve your chances of success you need to go above and beyond these basic requirements.
Maximize the amount of money you save every month, switch jobs or pay for education to boost income, minimize or completely eliminate expensive consumer debt and invest strategically for the long-term. Just because you’re in a better position than 50% of Americans doesn’t mean you shouldn’t aim higher for the top 10%.
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[1]. Navigator. “A Majority Feel Behind Financially”
[2]. MarketWatch Guides. “57% of Americans Live Paycheck to Paycheck in 2025”
[3]. Ramsey Solutions. “The State of Personal Finance in America Q2 2025”
[4]. Gallup. “What Percentage of Americans Have a Retirement Savings Account?”
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
