Six-Figure Income No Longer Signals Success

A new Harris Poll shows a major shift in how Americans view a $100,000 salary in 2025. The finding is stark: earning six figures now equals surviving, not thriving.

• 1 in 3 six-figure earners say they are financially distressed.
• 2 in 3 say a six-figure salary is not a sign of wealth.

The survey, released Nov. 14, included 2,109 U.S. adults, with 728 earning at least $100,000.

High Earners Say They’re Struggling Despite Strong Economic Data

Economic reports show that high-income Americans are powering U.S. spending. The top 10% of earners now account for over 49% of all consumer spending, the highest share in decades. Rising home values and record stock gains have strengthened wealthy households overall.

“In the aggregate, high-income households are doing great,” said Ryan Sweet, chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics. “They’re spending. They’re the ones keeping consumer spending afloat.”

Still, many six-figure earners describe a very different personal reality.

Six-Figure Earners Living Paycheck to Paycheck

A $100,000 salary should place someone squarely in the middle class. The median full-time worker earns about $62,000.

But the poll finds:

• 75% of six-figure earners used a credit card recently because they ran out of cash.
• Over half say they would need to double their income to feel secure.
• Many reported using Buy Now, Pay Later, selling personal items, cutting medical care, or even skipping meals.

“Six figures used to signal financial stability,” said Libby Rodney of The Harris Poll. “Now it’s about surviving.”

Six-figure households were more likely than other income groups to rely on credit cards or BNPL to handle everyday expenses.

Inflation Has Eroded the Power of $100,000

Years of inflation have sharply reduced the value of a six-figure income. Prices are now at least 24% higher than in early 2020, according to Bankrate.

“Even though inflation has gone down, people are still feeling those higher prices,” said Gbenga Ajilore of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Economist Bill Adams estimates a worker must earn $170,000 in 2025 to match the buying power of $100,000 in 2005.

Location Makes It Worse

A LendingTree analysis shows many six-figure families feel broke depending on where they live.

• In 25 of the 100 largest U.S. metro areas, a family of three earning $100,000 would spend more than they earn each month on basic expenses.

High earners cluster in expensive cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., where living costs soar.

“Two hundred thousand dollars in Manhattan versus Toledo are two different things,” Ajilore said.

Economic Signals Send a Mixed Message

The Harris Poll, titled the Income Paradox Survey, mirrors a broader economic contradiction.

• Consumer sentiment dropped to 53.6 in October, the lowest in three years.
• Yet consumer spending is rising, driven mainly by wealthy Americans.

“Consumers often act differently than they say,” Sweet noted. “I watch what they do, not what they say.”

Summary

Six-figure earners across the U.S. say they’re no longer financially secure. Despite strong spending levels among wealthy households, many high-income Americans now describe themselves as living paycheck to paycheck. Inflation, high living costs, and shifting expectations have pushed many into what they call “survival mode.”

Original News: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/11/14/americans-with-six-figure-incomes-in-survival-mode/87253991007/