Oregon State Treasurer Releases 2026 Scorecard

Posted by Pam Leavitt on March 31, 2026

The 2026 scorecard offers a snapshot for the public and policymakers of how Oregonians are faring financially and in the past has helped to advance public policy like Oregon’s revival of the personal finance education requirement for high schoolers, which goes into effect next year. There is no single statistic that shows how Oregonians are doing, so the scorecard assembles an array of data from sources like the Census, Federal Reserve, FINRA Financial Education Foundation, and a public interest survey by the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center.  You can find the scorecard on the Treasurer’s website FinanciallyFitOregon.org or directly HERE.

Takeaways:

Nearly three-quarters of Oregonians are feeling increasing cost of living pressures, contributing to record household debt and a 25% jump in bankruptcy filings in 2025. Those are among the takeaways from the 2026 Oregon Financial Wellness Scorecard, which spotlights key economic and personal finance trends across the state.

The state’s annual financial check-up shows a mix of economic signals. Median household income increased, yet the rate of emergency savings remains concerningly low, with 48% of Oregonians unable to cover a $500 emergency expense with their savings, and systemic barriers continuing to make it harder for many people to get ahead.

“Many Oregonians are struggling with rising prices for food, housing, and health care. Federal tariffs and funding cuts have forced households to absorb new costs, disrupted businesses, and hurt jobs in Oregon,” Oregon State Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner, MD, said. “While it’s harder to make ends meet, we can all take steps to improve our financial fitness.”

The 2026 Scorecard includes a Financial Fitness Check-up to help Oregonians improve their long-term financial security. The Check-up highlights small steps Oregonians can take that will lead to big changes in their financial health, such as taking advantage of incentives to save for college or career training, or making sure you have a small emergency fund.

Among the findings highlighted in the 2026 Scorecard:

• A majority of families, with (63%) and without children (56%), said in 2025 it is difficult make ends meet each month;
• Median household income climbed to $85,220 statewide in 2024, but it was less in rural counties and for Black ($66,756), Hispanic ($78,442) and Native American/Alaskan ($63,278) households;
• About a third of Oregonians (35%) said they can’t afford to save every month;
• More Oregonians said they completed a financial education program in 2025 (56%), compared to 2023 (51%); and
• Oregonians reported $126 million in fraud losses in 2024 to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, and the number of consumer complaints to the Oregon Department of Justice rose by 50% from 2023 to 2024.

Posted in Advocacy on the Move, Oregon Advocacy.