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New Findings from the Economic Security Monitor
Rising costs remain top concern as more older adults take on multiple jobs to make ends meet.
The AARP Foundation Economic Security Monitor is a quarterly longitudinal survey that tracks how financial conditions are changing for U.S. adults age 50 and older with low income. By following the same respondents over time, the Monitor provides a timely view into the financial experiences of older adults with low income, helping identify economic pressures before they appear in many national datasets.
Latest Findings: Affordability Pressures Persist as Savings Decline
Summer 2026 findings show that extreme financial strain among older adults with low income is being exacerbated by affordability concerns. Notably, the share without $100 in emergency savings has risen compared with the Economic Security Monitor’s Spring 2026 findings.
- Nearly 9 in 10 older adults with low income (86%) are concerned about rising prices.
- Emergency savings offer limited protection: One-third (33%) of older adults with low income could not cover an emergency expense of $100 or more from savings (up from 28% in Spring 2026), while 52% could not cover $500.
"I bought less food and used that money to pay the increase in my rent that went up by 33% at the beginning of this year."
Adults 50-64 Show the Greatest Signs of Financial Strain
Among older adults with low income, the greatest affordability pressures appear among those 50-64, years typically associated with peak earnings and retirement preparation. Instead, many people in this age group are struggling to afford everyday necessities and have little financial cushion to manage a setback.
In Summer 2026, 64% of adults age 50-64 with low income identified rising prices as a major concern, compared with 46% of adults 65 and older. These increases in affordability concerns among those age 50-64 extend across everyday necessities:
- Transportation: 54% of adults 50-64 with low income are worried about transportation costs, compared with 35% of those 65 and older.
- Food: Similarly, 54% of adults 50-64 with low income are worried about food costs, compared with 38% of those 65 and older.
- Emergency savings: Nearly two-thirds of adults 50-64 with low income (64%) cannot cover a $500 or more emergency expense using current savings, compared with 44% of adults 65 and older.
Income disruptions are also more common among the 50-64 age group. Thirty percent of adults age 50-64 with low income report a significant drop in household income in the previous three months, compared with 14% of adults 65 and older.
These differences reflect the distinct financial realities facing adults in their 50s and early 60s and suggest that many older adults are entering retirement years already under significant financial strain.
One Job Is Often Not Enough
For many working older adults with low income, the latest findings from the Monitor show that one job does not provide a sufficient source of income. In Summer 2026, nearly two-thirds (64%) of employed older adults with low income report at least one additional source of paid work beyond their main job, up from 59% in Winter 2025, suggesting many older adults are adapting to ongoing cost pressures by piecing together multiple income sources. Specifically, those taking on additional work or searching for work are significantly more likely to say that affordability is a major concern.
Food Hardship Persists
Food hardship continues to remain widespread among older adults with low income. Nearly one-third (32%) report that their household ran out of food before they had money to buy more, a finding that has remained largely unchanged since Spring 2026. Nearly half (42%) of adults 50-64 and 24% of adults age 65 and older said they ran out of food in the last three months.
Affordability Pressures Vary Across Demographic Groups
The effects of rising prices are not felt evenly among older adults with low income. In Summer 2026, 60% of women surveyed identified rising prices as a major concern, compared with 45% of men. Concern was also higher among people with disabilities (62% versus 47% among those without disabilities) and adults in caregiving households (67% versus 50% among those in non-caregiving households). These findings demonstrate how overlapping circumstances can deepen affordability pressures for some groups of older adults with low income.
Rising prices are a greater worry for women, people with disabilities, and caregiving households among older adults with low income.
Beyond the Economic Security Monitor
In addition to the Economic Security Monitor, AARP Foundation analyzes annual U.S. Census Bureau data on poverty, income and health insurance coverage to understand the financial challenges facing older adults. See AARP Foundation’s response to the 2026 data and download additional analysis and insights.
Download the Findings
Methodology
The Summer 2026 survey was fielded from June 17 through July 13, 2026, with 2,416 completed surveys weighted to represent the national population of U.S. adults age 50+ living at or below 250% of the federal poverty level.
Summer 2026 Methods Report (pdf)
Summer 2026 Annotated Questionnaire (pdf)
Contact Us
For media inquiries, please email media@aarp.org. For data questions or to be notified about future research releases, contact aarpfoundationresearch@aarp.org.
Related Research
Economic Security Monitor Winter 2025 & Spring 2026 Findings
Next data release:
Fall 2026
About AARP Foundation
AARP Foundation is the nation’s leading organization serving older adults living in poverty or one life event away from slipping into it. The AARP Foundation Economic Security Monitor is a quarterly longitudinal study conducted in partnership with NORC at the University of Chicago, tracking the financial experiences of U.S. adults age 50 and older with low income.
Frequently Asked Questions About the AARP Foundation Economic Security Monitor
What is the AARP Foundation Economic Security Monitor?
The AARP Foundation Economic Security Monitor is a quarterly longitudinal survey that tracks how financial conditions are changing for U.S. adults age 50 and older with low income. By following the same respondents over time, it helps show not just where hardship exists, but how economic insecurity is shifting quarter to quarter.
Why does the AARP Foundation Economic Security Monitor matter?
Most national datasets lag economic change by a year or more. The AARP Foundation Economic Security Monitor helps fill that gap by providing timely, recurring insight into how financial strain is changing for older adults with low income, including where pressure is intensifying, which groups are most exposed, and what those shifts may mean for action.
What changed from Spring to Summer 2026?
From Spring to Summer 2026, concern about rising prices remained consistently high, while reported increases in household expenses eased somewhat. At the same time, emergency savings declined, with more older adults with low income reporting that they could cover less than $100 from savings. The Summer 2026 wave also adds a clearer signal that affordability pressures are connected to work: Many employed older adults with low income are taking on additional paid work beyond their main job, and those most concerned about rising prices were more likely to look for work or report another paid income source.
Who does the AARP Foundation Economic Security Monitor represent?
The Economic Security Monitor is a nationally representative sample of more than 2,500 U.S. adults age 50 and older with low income, defined as living at or below 250% of the federal poverty level. This population represents approximately 39 million people, or about one-third of all U.S. adults age 50 and older. For a one-person household, 250% of FPL corresponds to approximately $39,000, based on the 2025 guidelines used for the study.
How often is the AARP Foundation Economic Security Monitor conducted?
The AARP Foundation Economic Security Monitor is conducted quarterly, with each quarter tracking the same respondents over time to capture how financial conditions change for older adults with low income. The Winter 2025–2026 data was collected from December 24, 2025, through January 12, 2026; the Spring 2026 data was collected from March 30 through April 15, 2026; and the Summer 2026 data was collected from June 17 through July 13, 2026.
How will future waves of the AARP Foundation Economic Security Monitor build on this data?
Future waves will follow the same respondents throughout 2026, creating a longitudinal record of how financial conditions evolve for this population. This design allows researchers and policymakers to identify trends and compare conditions quarter over quarter as they develop.
A: Most national datasets lag economic change by a year or more. The AARP Foundation Economic Security Monitor helps fill that gap by providing timely, recurring insight into how financial strain is changing for older adults with low income, including where pressure is intensifying, which groups are most exposed, and what those shifts may mean for action.
A: From Spring to Summer 2026, concern about rising prices remained consistently high, while reported increases in household expenses eased somewhat. At the same time, emergency savings declined, with more older adults with low income reporting that they could cover less than $100 from savings. The Summer 2026 wave also adds a clearer signal that affordability pressures are connected to work: Many employed older adults with low income are taking on additional paid work beyond their main job, and those most concerned about rising prices were more likely to look for work or report another paid income source.
A: The Economic Security Monitor is a nationally representative sample of more than 2,500 U.S. adults age 50 and older with low income, defined as living at or below 250% of the federal poverty level. This population represents approximately 39 million people, or about one-third of all U.S. adults age 50 and older. For a one-person household, 250% of FPL corresponds to approximately $39,000 for a one-person household, based on the 2025 guidelines used for the study.
A: The AARP Foundation Economic Security Monitor is conducted quarterly, with each quarter tracking the same respondents over time to capture how financial conditions change for older adults with low income. The Winter 2025–2026 data was collected December 24, 2025, through January 12, 2026; the Spring 2026 data was collected March 30 through April 15, 2026; and the Summer 2026 data was collected June 17 through July 13, 2026.
A: Future waves will follow the same respondents throughout 2026, creating a longitudinal record of how financial conditions evolve for this population. This design allows researchers and policymakers to identify trends and compare conditions quarter over quarter as they develop.
Download the Findings
Access key findings from the latest wave of the AARP Foundation Economic Security Monitor.
Download the Fact Sheet
Get a quick overview of the latest findings on affordability, savings, employment, and financial security.