A quarter of Americans say they need to make at least $150,000 to be secure. Blame inflation

With an affordability crisis affecting all 50 states, one in four Americans now feels like they need to make $150,000 or more to “live comfortably.”

The results come from a Bankrate survey published Monday, in which 77% of U.S. adults also said they don’t feel completely financially secure. And only 29% of U.S. adults said they believe "their version of the 'American Dream' is likely for them in today’s economy."

Bankrate said the results come as inflation continues to erode households’ spending power, pointing out Bureau of Labor Statistics data that shows a $100,000 salary in January 2020 had the same buying power as $124,353 in April 2025.

“Many people need to spend more and more every year,” Wookjae Heo, an assistant professor of financial counseling and planning at the Purdue University College of Health and Human Sciences, told Bankrate. “However, their income has not increased a lot. Most people’s salary is [static].”

Sarah Foster, a Bankrate reporter, said it's because of these rising costs that "now, simply living comfortably feels like the new aspiration, as economic challenges make financial stability a rare luxury."

In fact, almost one in three of the adults surveyed believe they "likely will never" be completely financially secure.

In the past two years, the number of Americans who feels financially secured has declined, Bankrate said.

Among generations, its Gen X (ages 45-60) who feel the least financially secure, with only 16% saying they are. Baby boomers (ages 61-69) report feeling the most financially secure, at 31%.

“Most of us know comfortability when we see it," Foster said. "It’s a financial sweet spot that allows us to cover our bills, sock cash away for retirement or emergencies, conquer debt — or dodge it entirely — and still have enough wiggle room for the occasional indulgence. Times have shifted.”