Posted on 04/25/2025 6:40:18 PM PDT by Red Badger
A recent survey conducted by Harvard’s Institute of Politics reveals a stark reality for young Americans: 42% of those under 30 report they are “barely getting by” financially, with only 16% saying they are doing well or very well.
This alarming statistic, drawn from a poll of 2,096 adults aged 18 to 29 conducted between March 14 and 25, 2025, underscores the economic challenges facing Generation Z and young Millennials.
The Harvard Youth Poll, as reported by CNBC, NBC New York, and NBC DFW, indicates that roughly two in five young Americans are either “struggling to make ends meet” or “getting by with limited security.”
This financial precarity is particularly acute for certain demographics. Women, with 47% reporting financial struggles compared to 37% of men, face heightened challenges, according to Spectrum News.
Similarly, 52% of young Latinos and 50% of those without a college degree say they are struggling, compared to 35% of college students and 29% of college graduates.
These disparities reflect structural barriers, including lower earnings and limited access to higher-paying jobs for non-degree holders.
Posts on X further amplify the sentiment, with users like @HarvardIOP and @NewYorkSun noting the poll’s findings and linking them to broader disillusionment, including declining support for congressional Democrats among young voters.
While these posts reflect public discourse, they alone do not substantiate the data but highlight its resonance.
While the Harvard survey does not pinpoint specific causes, multiple sources suggest that persistent inflation, the resumption of student loan payments, and low starting salaries are squeezing young adults.
CNBC and NBC outlets report that the cost of essentials—food, shelter, and transportation—has surged, with inflation driving up prices by nearly 21% since February 2020.
John Bell, a certified financial planner quoted in these reports, emphasizes that many young people graduate with significant college debt, often entering careers that do not pay enough to cover both loans and basic living expenses.
The Washington Post, in a related 2023 article, provides context on rising costs, noting that everyday expenses like meals and home maintenance have increased significantly, further straining budgets.
For example, the cost of a typical lunch has risen by over 30% in some cases, and property taxes have jumped, impacting even those who have paid off mortgages. These trends disproportionately affect younger adults, who are less likely to have accumulated savings or assets.
The Harvard findings align with other research indicating growing financial strain among young Americans.
A January 2025 Credit One Bank survey, cited by CNBC and NBC, found that 39% of Gen Z adults feel stressed about their finances, the highest of any generation, with low confidence in their financial control.
Additionally, a 2022 New York Times article highlights a decline in economic mobility, noting that only 50% of Americans born in 1980 are likely to out-earn their parents, compared to 92% of those born in 1940.
This fading “American Dream” exacerbates the sense of financial insecurity among the young.
CNN, in a 2024 report, adds that even higher earners are not immune, with 41% of Americans aged 18 to 35 expressing concern about making ends meet, compared to just 22% of those over 65.
This suggests that financial pressure is pervasive across income levels for younger generations, driven by rising costs and stagnant wages relative to inflation.
The Harvard poll, as covered by Spectrum News and Political Wire, also reveals broader social and political discontent.
Only 19% of young Americans trust the federal government to do the right thing most of the time, and support for policies like tariffs and Gaza redevelopment is low, at 19% and 14%, respectively.
This distrust, coupled with financial hardship, may contribute to the reported skepticism about the value of college education, as noted in a 2022 Bloomberg report, where only 56% of young adults felt their degrees were worth the cost.
That’s been the case for a decade now.
>> “barely getting by” financially
that’s the intended outcome for the unfortunate working class
https://www.amortization.org/inflation/amount.php?year=1970&amount=7500
I graduated in 1970 and my first job paid $7,500. Based on calcs, that is worth $63,786 today.
Exactly.
I remember paying $31.50 per semester hour at a local community college for my first two years of general college classes then transitioning to a state college where tuition was less than $1000 per semester.
I have talked to several young girls over the years who enrolled in those online college classes, taking out $20,000+ in school loans. They took a few classes then dropped out as that type of learning isn’t for everyone. But, they still had that debt at the age of 18-20 with NOTHING to show for it and knew they would NEVER pay it off. Goodbye actual college, goodbye car and forever goodbye getting a house as they will NEVER be able to discharge that school loan.
Predators like those school financial officers and those that push that crap college have helped to destroy our country.
You are exactly right. This seems intentional to cause as much sadness, despair and hopeless as is humanly possible.
LOL, true, it's actually much easier to make money now. Anyone with a computer and access to the internet has the opportunity to open their own worldwide goldmine they can literally operate from home, sitting in their underwear.
Having helped some young family members get a hold of their financial situation, I found the usual biggest problem they had came down to 3 things. 1. Lack of financial discipline(they don't have their priorities identified & mapped, nor do they stick to the order they are in.) 2. Their Discretionary Spending is above their Discretionary Income, often way above. 3. Lack of financial knowledge. This is one of the most important skills a person needs in life. The key thing about this skill though, you don't necessarily need to personally have that skill. That's what financial advisors are for. I truly believe that young folks should sit down with one once a year to learn how to grow their wealth and to find their mistakes early on in order to learn from them.
Most of us have been there at a point, or points, in our lives.
I remember living in a 10’ x 48’ trailer, and eating 17-cent pot pies from the BX because that’s all we could afford.
Have goals, make good decisions, and it’s possible to escape that lifestyle.
“And they blame ‘Boomers’! It’s all the Boomers fault. The Boomers stole everything.”
It might be partially Boomers’ fault. Not because they stole everything. (I don’t even know what that means.)
Aren’t we, the Boomers, the ones who raised the kids (now adults with kids of their own) who are lazy, entitled, toy-centric, and disrespectful?
Recently, though, we’ve noticed that the next generation after that seems better. We’ve hired people — we call them “kids” — who have an entrepreneur mentality and great work ethic.
One kid started his landscaping business when he was in high school and hired a couple classmates as his crew. That was in 2023. He couldn’t work one day last year because it was graduation day. Successful already.
The young couple who cleans our house are a little older, and just started their business in 2023, too. We are proud to have been one of their first clients and have tried to help them with ideas and referrals. (Never give them money except to pay for their services.) Totally goal oriented with a plan to work hard, save money, and retire early. They will clean anything, and they work their butts off. They have hired a crew.
For all of them, it’s “Yes, Ma’am, No, Sir”, and dependability. All MAGA, too - LOL!
“...they buy the $7 coffee because there is really no reason NOT to. It’s all pointless anyway. So enjoy the coffee.”
When I was their age my morning cup of coffee was a packet of Tasters Choice dumped in my mouth followed by a swig from my canteen.
No credit card and I slept under an Army OD Green wool blanket (still do).
45 years ago when I was under 30 I was just getting by on $5 an hour.
They can thank the previous generations for offshoring their career opportunities.
But hey those younsters can buy a real cheap TV. So there is that. /sarc
I understand the sarcasm, but that point was actually being made by the free traitors here back in the day.
Can these folks at least change an air filter or a cabin filter? Last summer, I replaced a cabin air filter in my 2011 Kia Soul, and I had to remove the entire glove compartment module in order to get to the cabin filter, involving use of a screwdriver. Then, after changing the filter, I had to reassemble the glove compartment module, and as it turns out, not all the screws were in it in the first place, so I ended up doing a better job than the last person did.
The only real problems there is that I’m not mechanically talented, and the process took considerable time.
Can these folks assemble small furniture from a kit? I’ve been there, done that. Again, with my mechanical aptitude, it is somewhat difficult for me, but I can do it. For larger items, I can always get somebody to help.
Is he able to do downloads for the electronic components, or is that one of those proprietary things that only the dealer can do for an extravagant cost?
Yep. The student loan racket made sure that student debt cannot be discharged in bankruptcy proceedings. I think that should change.
Folks,
self perception is not a good survey.
More than 47 million people in the US face hunger, including 1 in 5 children.
Millions of people in the US don’t have enough food to eat or don’t have access to healthy food. This is a big problem, but together, we can solve it.
How in the world can that be?
We have SNAP (formerly called ‘Food Stamps’), EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer),
https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program
https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/ebt
WIC (Women, Infants and Children)
Free meals for school children
https://www.usa.gov/school-meals
Food assistance for Native Americans
https://www.usa.gov/native-american-food-programs
National Emergency Food Assistance
https://www.usa.gov/emergency-food-assistance
Food assistance programs for older adults (Meals on Wheels)
https://www.usa.gov/senior-food-programs
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)
https://www.fns.usda.gov/tefap/factsheet
The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)
https://www.fns.usda.gov/csfp/commodity-supplemental-food-program
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
https://www.fns.usda.gov/cacfp
The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)
School Breakfast Program
https://www.fns.usda.gov/sbp/school-breakfast-program
How in the world can that be?
according to the survey people are still hungry.
The question on the survey is:
Have you ever been hungry?
Yes, we have been on food stamps, homeless and living in our car at a time in our lives, scraping together change and begging for money to buy gas.
I have no sympathy for anyone except disabled and elderly people who can’t feed themselves, but we have programs for them..............................
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