CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – Inflation is hitting all Americans hard, but some people are suffering more than others. 22News examines who’s suffering the most, and why.
Stubborn inflation has driven households near the breaking point but the pain of high prices has not been shared equally. Prices are almost 20 percent higher than they were in 2019. This forces the lowest-income workers to spend more of their pay on necessities like food and gas.
Americans in the middle class saw prices increase faster than their income. Across the board, nearly all households are dipping into their savings to keep up their spending, with a personal savings rate of 4-point-one percent.
At the same time, they are leaning on credit cards to bridge the gap, with balances now up almost 20 percent from a year ago.
Regardless of income, many Americans are financially vulnerable in the event of a downturn.