View of an older woman's back sitting on a city bench wearing a yellow coat

Economic Insecurity for Older Adults in a High-Cost State

Issue Brief by Kelly Harrington, Laura D. Quinby, and Luc Schuster

May 27, 2025

Across the nation, many older adults struggle to make ends meet. The Elder Index, produced by the Gerontology Institute at UMass Boston, suggests that roughly one-third of older households have incomes below what it takes to meet basic needs and age in place. One question is whether living in a high-wealth, high-cost state such as…

Back view of two older people walking down the street with risk indicator graphics on either side

The National Retirement Risk Index: An Update from the 2022 SCF

Issue Brief by Yimeng Yin, Anqi Chen, and Alicia H. Munnell

February 27, 2024

The release of the Federal Reserve’s 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances offers an opportunity to reassess Americans’ retirement preparedness as measured by the National Retirement Risk Index (NRRI). The NRRI estimates the share of American households that are at risk of being unable to maintain their pre-retirement standard of living in retirement…