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FACT BRIEF

Do nearly two-thirds of Americans say they live paycheck to paycheck?

By Tom Kertscher
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Three national polls done in 2024 found nearly two-thirds of Americans said they are living paycheck to paycheck.

That means 66% said they spend as much as they earn each month making it difficult to save for the future, a MarketWatch Guides survey found.

The figure was 65% in a poll by CNBC and SurveyMonkey and 65% in a PYMNTS Intelligence report.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin claimed July 16, 2024, at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee that under President Joe Biden, “66% of Americans now live paycheck to paycheck.”

Similar 2024 polls found lower percentages.

58% of registered voters in a NewsNation/Decision Desk HQ poll said they are living paycheck to paycheck.

40% of Americans said they are unable to plan beyond their next paycheck, according to a National True Cost of Living Coalition-commissioned poll.

A Bankrate poll of workers found 34% said they are living paycheck to paycheck.

See a full discussion of this at Wisconsin Watch
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
MarketWatch Paycheck to Paycheck Statistics
CNBC More Americans say they are living paycheck to paycheck this year than in 2023—here's why
PYMNTS Emergency Expenses Break the Bank for Paycheck-to-Paycheck Consumers
WRIC ABC 8News Gov. Glenn Youngkin speaks at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee
National True Cost of Living Coalition For Immediate Release — National True Cost of Living Coalition
NewsNation Voters on the economy, presidential debates and RFK: Full results
Bankrate More Than A Third of Workers Say They're Living Paycheck To Paycheck
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Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.