KeyBank: 25% of Americans Say Homeownership Feels Out of Reach

(Image courtesy of Curtis Adams/pexels.com)

KeyBank, Cleveland, released its 2026 Financial Mobility Pulse Poll, finding that a quarter of Americans say homeownership currently feels out of reach.

The sentiment is somewhat widespread–28% of Americans feel negatively about the economy, up from 26% in 2025. That includes even Americans with higher incomes, with 24% of households that earn above $100,000 reporting the feeling.

Concerns about housing jumped from 35% to 44% year-over-year, and worries about health care costs increased from 22% to 30%. Grocery prices were at 58%, up from 55%.

There are some factors that are causing less stress, though, with global factors at 23% (down from 24%) and credit card debt at 21% (down from 26%).

One-third of respondents said they are making a financial trade-off every day in order to save more for the future, and 88% said they have made at least one meaningful financial adjustment in response to rising costs of living. Just over one-third are also pursuing side gigs to help bolster their financial position.

“The financial pressures people face today are real and widespread across the financial spectrum. What stands out, though, is that Americans aren’t waiting for conditions to improve,” said Dan Brown, executive vice president and director of consumer product management for KeyBank. “They’re being proactive and resourceful in response to these pressures, and these aren’t just one-time reactions–88% of Americans have made at least one meaningful adjustment to their finances. People are navigating the current economic climate through daily decisions that are increasingly becoming lasting habits.”