American Distress Index
U.S. household financial distress, measured against the country’s own record since 2005.
The composite itself sits higher than 44% of all published quarters since 2005.
The Five Bands
The 0–100 scale splits into five equal bands. Higher bands mean more distress. The methodology page explains how the score is built and what each band covers.
The index averages five domains, each a distinct dimension of household financial distress. Every domain carries equal weight. See the full methodology for the series behind each one.
What Goes Into the Number
As of 2026-Q2Each domain score is the average of its inputs' percentile readings within their own full quarterly history.
The Record Since 2005
The published series runs from 2005-Q1 to 2026-Q2 — 86 quarters. Its peak is 90.0 in 2009-Q3, the depth of the financial crisis. Its low is 22.7 in 2021-Q4, when pandemic-era support programs left household buffers unusually full.
How to Read the Index
What does the number mean?
Higher means more distress. Each input is scored against its own quarterly history, and the five domains are averaged with equal weight into one score. The methodology page walks through every step. Want to see where you stand? Try the Exposure Check.
Is the score itself a percentile?
No. The score is an average of input percentiles, not a percentile of quarters. Its rank in its own published record is reported separately: the composite itself sits higher than 44% of all published quarters since 2005.
How often does it update?
The composite updates quarterly, as most underlying federal data sources release on a quarterly schedule. Individual indicators update on their own cadence — some monthly, some quarterly. Check the data status page for current freshness.
Does the index predict anything?
No. It measures current conditions against the historical record.
Where does the data come from?
All inputs come from federal and Federal Reserve sources: the Federal Reserve Board, the New York Fed’s consumer credit panel, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Department of Labor, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. No proprietary data, no paywalls. The methodology page documents every series.
What are the individual indicators?
The five domains are built from specific series — delinquency rates, charge-offs, debt service, unemployment claims, and the savings rate. You can explore every indicator, its history, and its current value on the indicators page.
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