News and Insights About Consumer Finances

Income

Household Income Reaches a Record High, but Progress Has Been Uneven

October 25, 2026

New Census Bureau data show rising purchasing power in 2025, while nearly six decades of income history reveal setbacks, recoveries, and persistent differences between households. American household income reached a new inflation-adjusted high in 2025. But the longer history shows that financial progress rarely follows a straight line and that a rising national median does not mean every household is gaining ground.

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Retirement

Is Generation X Better Prepared for Retirement Than Five Years Ago?

October 25, 2026

The 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances shows stronger retirement account balances, but uneven wealth gains make the answer more complicated than a simple yes. Generation X is approaching retirement with larger investment balances but that does not necessarily mean the entire generation is more financially secure.

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Consumers

Seven Years of Car Payments: Why Auto Loans Keep Getting Longer

October 25, 2026

Higher vehicle prices and borrowing costs are stretching household budgets, and pushing more buyers toward longer loans and used vehicles. For a growing share of Americans, buying a new car means committing to payments for seven years or more.

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Housing

Why Buying a Home Still Feels Out of Reach

October 25, 2026

Higher incomes offer some relief, but mortgage rates, upfront costs, and years of saving continue to challenge prospective buyers.

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Business

New York-Area Service Firms Report Sharper Slowdown as Price Pressures Persist

October 24, 2026

Business activity weakened sharply across the New York region’s service sector in October, while price increases remained widespread and firms grew more cautious about the months ahead.

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Inflation

Gasoline Drives September Inflation Higher, While Grocery Prices Ease

October 14, 2026

Inflation accelerated in September as a sharp increase in gasoline prices outweighed modest relief at the grocery store.

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Consumers

Family Finances Improve Unevenly as Debt Pressures Grow

October 9, 2026

American families gained ground on income and wealth between 2022 and 2025, but more struggled to keep up with their bills. That mixed picture emerges from the Federal Reserve’s October 2026 report, "Changes in U.S. Family Finances from 2022 to 2025".

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