Are Americans better off today than two years ago? By a number of objective measures, the answer is yes. But if you ask people whether they’re worse off or better off, the answer is more negative than anything else, as the latest I&I/TIPP Poll indicates.
Taken from Aug. 25 through Aug. 28 by 1,481 likely adult voters, I&I/TIPP asked: “Thinking about your personal financial situation, are you better off or worse off today than you were two years ago?”
Overall, 39% of those responding said they were “worse off,” while just 26% responded “better off.” Another 32% called their financial situation “about the same.” So, on net, 58% are either better off or the same. The poll’s margin of error is +/-2.9 percentage points.
It perhaps comes as no shock, as the chart shows, that those at the bottom rungs of the income ladder are most likely — just under half — to say they’re worse off, and least likely — just under 20% — to be better off. Just under a third said they were doing about the same.
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