- Nine percent of American workers are canceling plans to make a major purchase, such as buying a home or car, due to their feelings about job security, according to a Redfin survey. More than a third (35%) are delaying major purchase plans.
- Nearly a third (30%) of workers say they have either already made a major purchase sooner than expected, or will make a purchase earlier than originally planned, due to their feelings about job security.
- Two-thirds (66%) of workers are confident about their job security, while 31% are concerned.
- More than a third (36%) of workers do not have an emergency fund to cover mortgage or rent payments in the event of a personal financial crisis, like losing their job.
More than two in five (44%) American workers are delaying or canceling a major purchase like a home or car due to their feelings about job security. An additional 30% have either already made a major purchase sooner than expected, or plan to.
That’s according to a Redfin-commissioned survey conducted by Ipsos between August 7-8 and 13-14, 2025. The nationally representative survey was fielded to 1,142 employed U.S. residents, including 959 full-time workers and 183 part-time workers. The results for the combined group of workers have a credibility interval of +/- 3.6 percentage points.
Nearly three in five (57%) workers from households earning less than $50,000 are either delaying or canceling major purchase plans due to their feelings about job security. That’s in comparison to 48% of workers from households earning $50,000-$100,000 and 35% from households earning $100,000+.
Almost half (49%) of working renters are delaying a major purchase—which is nearly twice the share of working homeowners (27%).
Roughly a third (32%) of respondents said their feelings about job security had made no impact on their timeline for any major purchase decisions.
Two thirds of American workers are confident about their job security
Two thirds (66%) of workers say they are either somewhat confident or very confident about their job security—in line with 2024 Pew Research findings.
In comparison, 31% say they are either somewhat concerned or very concerned about their job security.
Redfin Head of Economics Research Chen Zhao said even though unemployment came in at 4.2% in July—a relatively low level historically—workers are perceiving the labor market differently.
“Many workers are worried about job security as they watch their companies adjust to this uncertain economy and increasingly look to AI and other new technologies for efficiency gains,” she said. “From a housing perspective, that wariness is keeping some would-be homebuyers on the sidelines. On the flipside, those who feel confident in their finances are facing less competition and have more negotiating power. Sellers should recognize that buyers are cautious, so pricing a home competitively and offering flexibility will be critical to closing a deal.”
Nearly two in five workers more concerned about job security now than 6 months ago
Highlighting the uncertain economy, 37% of workers are more concerned about their job security today, compared to six months ago. In comparison, 20% are more confident about their job security today.
Even among the workers who indicated they are confident about their job security, 19% said they were more concerned now than six months ago, while 30% said they felt more confident.
Of the workers who indicated they are concerned about their job security, 77% said they were more concerned now than they were six months ago, while only 6% felt more confident.
Company performance, tariffs and AI among top reasons for job insecurity
Nearly a third (32%) of workers who are concerned about their job security cited their company’s performance as the primary reason.
The next most-cited reason for job security concerns was tariffs (17%), followed by the impact of AI (16%).
36% of American workers do not have an emergency fund to cover housing payments
More than a third (36%) of American workers do not have an emergency fund to cover their monthly mortgage or rent payments in the event they face a financial crisis, like losing a job. More than half (55%) of respondents said they do have an emergency fund.
Households earning more than $100,000 a year (68%) and homeowners (65%) were more likely to have an emergency fund. Households earning less than $50,000 (37%), renters (40%) and those aged 18-34 (44%) were less likely to have a back-up fund.
Of note, workers who are concerned about their job security (56%) are no more likely to have an emergency savings fund than workers who are confident about their job security (57%).
Of those workers who do have an emergency fund, 32% have 0-3 months of housing payments, 23% have 4-6 months, 17% have 7-12 months covered and 20% have more than 12 months covered.
Financial experts typically recommend Americans have an emergency savings account that covers roughly 3-6 months of expenses in case they unexpectedly lose their job.
Younger people are less likely to have a large emergency fund, with only 9% of those aged 18-34 having more than 12 months of housing payments saved up. In comparison, 38% of those aged 55+ have enough savings to cover at least 12 months of payments.
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