63%
2025 (latest)
COULD COVER A $400 EMERGENCY EXPENSE
percent of adults · 2013–2025 · higher is better · Federal Reserve Board, Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking
50%
2013
68%
high · 2021
50%
low · 2013
+13 pts
since 2013
┊ dashed lines mark 2020 COVID-19 pandemic
Method & caveats. Annual SHED, a nationally representative online survey of US adults. Could pay a $400 emergency expense with cash or its cash equivalent, without borrowing or selling something. Named exception to the >=15-year minimum: SHED began in 2013, so this edition has 13 annual points through 2025. The 2020 survey was fielded in November, later than the usual timing, which may affect year-over-year comparability; no direction of bias is assumed. Breaks: 2020 survey fielded in November instead of October.
Sources
Every value on this page is read from the publisher below. Current and historical source documents:
- https://www.federalreserve.gov/publications/files/2025-report-economic-well-being-us-households-202605.pdf
- https://github.com/danielmiessler/substrate/tree/main/Data/US-Societal-Health
Data
| Year | Could Cover a $400 Emergency Expense | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 63% | +0.0 pts |
| 2024 | 63% | +0.0 pts |
| 2023 | 63% | +0.0 pts |
| 2022 | 63% | −5.0 pts |
| 2021 | 68% | +4.0 pts |
| 2020 | 64% | +1.0 pts |
| 2019 | 63% | +2.0 pts |
| 2018 | 61% | +2.0 pts |
| 2017 | 59% | +3.0 pts |
| 2016 | 56% | +2.0 pts |
| 2015 | 54% | +1.0 pts |
| 2014 | 53% | +3.0 pts |
| 2013 | 50% | — |
Also in Happiness & Outlook