Brief
05 Jun ’26
This report uses the Philadelphia Fed’s Labor, Income, Finances, and Expectations (LIFE) Survey, fielded in April 2026, to assess the financial burden of vehicle ownership costs and households’ near-term intentions to purchase a vehicle.
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The April 2026 survey revisits questions last asked in 2023. Plans to buy a new or used vehicle in the next three months are 7 percentage points lower than three years ago, with the steepest declines concentrated among younger respondents. Among those who do not plan to buy a vehicle, one-third report that it is because they cannot afford one. Ownership costs also weigh on current vehicle owners. Over 20 percent of vehicle owners report that auto insurance and fuel costs are significant financial burdens. For respondents who typically struggle to pay their monthly bills, this figure rises to 50 percent.
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Alice J. Roden started working for Trending Insurance News at the end of 2021. Alice grew up in Salt Lake City, UT. A writer with a vast insurance industry background Alice has help with several of the biggest insurance companies. Before joining Trending Insurance News, Alice briefly worked as a freelance journalist for several radio stations. She covers home, renters and other property insurance stories.