CBS News poll: Economy views better than winter, but Americans feel concern more than secure about finances

Summer begins with Americans’ economy ratings continuing to get a bit brighter than they were this winter — though still not good — with their outlook more mixed. But feelings of financial concern and stress are more prevalent than feelings of being secure.

With a big majority still saying their incomes don’t keep pace with inflation, prices and finances of course play a big role in how Americans decide what their summer plans will be. And that, too, helps define two different outlooks heading into the season. 

Slightly more Americans say they’ll take a vacation this summer than report taking one in 2024. Most likely to take a vacation are the just-over half who say they’re at least doing OK financially and can keep up with expenses. (For the higher income earners among them especially, summer will also involve travel.) 

But for those who say their finances are not good, it continues to be largely because of prices and incomes not keeping up with inflation. They’re largely forgoing any vacation or travel.

In all, feelings about finances span a range and most report feeling things from stress and concern to security and optimism at least once in a while. But Americans describe feeling concern or stress even more often these days, rather than feeling secure or content. That’s especially the case among those whose personal financial situation isn’t good. 

Ratings of the economy remain net-negative overall — this has been the case for years — but lately they have been ticking up off the dips they saw in late winter, February and March.

Outlook and direction remains mixed, and with more negativity than positivity. But relatively fewer today are planning as if the country is headed for outright recession, as said so last month; opinion has shifted toward expectations of a slowdown, but not recession.

 In a different study consumer confidence was also reported to have rebounded lately.

Those in comparably lower income levels report feeling stress about finances more often. Stress and concern go up with feeling less secure in a job (for those employed.) Concern about monthly ability to pay for food and groceries is strongly associated with more frequent feelings of stress. Conversely, feelings of being secure or optimistic financially are linked to confidence in being able to save, buy extras and pay for the basics.

People for whom the stock market matters to their finances report less frequent feelings of stress. The market has had volatility over recent months, but those invested also have higher incomes, and report less concern about paying for day to day items to begin with.

Summer plans

As summer begins, one way Americans traditionally try to alleviate stress, of course, is a vacation or getaway. But access to that, too, splits on financial lines.

For the just over half of Americans who say their financial situation is good, most plan to take a vacation of some form this summer, and most of those will also involve travel.

Large majorities, often even if their finances are ok, say their incomes are not keeping pace with inflation, and this generally hasn’t changed over time.

For the bulk of people who do travel, summer means a road trip. It’s far and away the main way they’ll travel. (Though on balance, people who say their financial situation is bad say they’ll take fewer car trips than last summer.)

Peoples’ assessment of the direction of gas prices is mixed and not very different than it was in March.

Americans are more likely to expect their summer to be exciting rather than boring. And yet, for all the attention it gets, summer doesn’t rate as Americans’ favorite season. That’s fall.

This CBS News/YouGov survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample of 2,216  U.S. adults interviewed between May 26-29, 2025. The sample was weighted to be representative of adults nationwide according to gender, age, race, and education, based on the U.S. Census American Community Survey and Current Population Survey, as well as 2024 presidential vote. The margin of error is ±2.6 points.

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