U.S. Savings Rate Statistics (2026)

The numbers

1. Personal saving rate: 4.6%

   BEA monthly release. Below the 1959–2019 long-run average of 8.3%.

   As of 2026-03 · Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

2. 27% of Americans have no emergency savings at all

   From Bankrate's annual emergency-savings readiness survey. Highest reading since 2014.

   As of 2025 · Bankrate

3. 37% can't cover a $400 emergency in cash

   From the Fed's SHED report. The 'in cash' framing matters — many would put it on a credit card.

   As of 2025 · Federal Reserve

4. Median transaction-account balance: $8,000

   Survey of Consumer Finances. Includes checking and savings combined. Mean is $62,400.

   As of 2025 · Federal Reserve

5. Top HYSA APY: 4.50%

   Best-in-class rate for online savings as of April 2026. Top quartile of accounts pay above 4.00%.

   As of 2026-04 · Bankrate

6. FDIC national savings rate: 0.42%

   Weighted-average APY across all FDIC-insured banks. The gap vs. top HYSAs costs the average household ~$380/year per $10k.

   As of 2026-04 · FDIC

7. Share with 3+ months of expenses saved: 44%

   Up from 41% in 2023. Auto-transfer users are 2.3× as likely to hit the 3-month benchmark.

   As of 2025 · Bankrate

8. Series I savings bond composite rate: 3.11%

   Six-month composite rate set by Treasury. Includes a 1.20% fixed component locked for the life of the bond.

   As of 2026-05 · U.S. Department of the Treasury

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as an emergency fund?

Liquid, FDIC-insured cash held separately from checking — usually in an HYSA or money-market account. Investments don't count: a market drop in the same week you lose a job is the exact scenario the fund is built for.