Poll Finds Americans 'Financially Stressed' For 3 Reasons

Americans are growing increasingly anxious about their financial health and the broader economy amid persistent inflation, rising interest rates and ongoing tariff tensions.

What To Know: A new CNBC/SurveyMonkey poll conducted from April 3 to April 7 found that 73% of respondents feel "financially stressed," with 86% blaming inflation, 75% citing high interest rates, and 66% pointing to tariffs. Even high earners aren't immune—29% of those earning over $100,000 said they feel "very stressed."

Tariffs, particularly those linked to former President Trump's trade war, are seen as exacerbating inflation. Economists warn that these import taxes can push up consumer prices.

According to CNBC, it now takes nearly $114 to purchase what cost $100 in January 2022, eroding consumers' purchasing power. Economist David McWilliams told CNBC, "We know that tariffs are inflationary… that's hitting on people's expectations of how much money they're going to have."

Per the survey, financial anxiety has begun to affect behavior: 32% of Americans say they've delayed purchases, 15% have started stockpiling and 34% have changed their investments due to market volatility tied to tariff concerns.

Also Read: Consumer Sentiment Crashes To 3-Year Lows As Inflation Expectations Spike To 1981 Highs

As a result, according to the CNBC poll, 59% of Americans oppose Trump’s tariff policies, and 72% worry about their impact on their personal finances. Many have responded by delaying purchases or altering investments, while 15% have begun stockpiling goods.

Adding to the concern Friday, the University of Michigan's preliminary April Consumer Sentiment Index plunged to 50.4—its lowest level since June 2022—signaling growing fears of a stagflationary slowdown.

"This decline was… pervasive and unanimous across age, income, education, geographic region and political affiliation," said Joanne Hsu, director of the survey.

Short-term inflation expectations jumped to 6.7%, the highest since 1981. Inflation expectations meanwhile surged to 6.7%, the highest since 1981.

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