A quarter of Americans now say they need to make at least $150,000 to feel secure—and inflation is largely to blame

Photo of a young woman doing financial calculations

• A new survey from consumer financial services company Bankrate claims most Americans don’t feel financially secure. More than a quarter of respondents said they would need to earn $150,000 to achieve financial security, well above the U.S. median salary. Experts say while double digit inflation over the past few years plays a role, so also does lifestyle creep. 

An increasing number of Americans say they need more money to feel financially secure, a phenomenon that is only partly based on finances, experts say.