Studies and Data Analysis
This data hub brings together NerdWallet’s studies and unique analyses of proprietary and third party data across personal finance and economic topics. Our team of writers, experts and analysts design nationally representative surveys and robust methodologies to gain insight into household finances. These resources are available for use by traditional and online media, influencers and consumers.
In the spotlight
2025 Women Entrepreneurs Report
A recent study by Erin El Issa finds that women business owners are often juggling multiple jobs, but still don't feel financially successful.
The data indicated:
Just 23% of women entrepreneurs feel financially successful. This is compared with 32% of men who currently own a small business.
Nearly 2 in 5 women who don’t currently own a small business (37%) say it’s because they don’t have the money to start one, while 27% say they don’t have a small-business idea and 19% say they don’t have the time to put into starting one.
Just 13% of women entrepreneurs say they plan to expand their business in 2025.
“Many women who don’t own businesses say they lack the money, ideas or time needed to get started. This suggests a greater need for dedicated funding and resources to support women entrepreneurs” says Randa Kriss, a NerdWallet expert on small businesses.
Read the report and see more of the data, here.
The latest
Recent economic commentary
Elizabeth Renter, Senior Economist
"We’ve seen inflation expectations rise and consumer sentiment fall recently as the uncertainty of future policy decisions plays on households’ and businesses’ feelings of financial security. It is very difficult to make sound financial decisions when you can’t be sure what will happen in the coming weeks or months. And it’s through this mechanism that inflation expectations and consumer sentiment can shape behavior and thus the real economy."
March 12, 2025
Elizabeth Renter is available for media interviews, discussing economic and data topics. Contact press@nerdwallet.com.
The latest columns from Elizabeth Renter
Trending chart
NerdWallet Senior Economist Elizabeth Renter recently examined the labor market, including job seeker sentiment — a full 27% of active job seekers say they've been "ghosted" by a potential employer in the past 12 months. Read about it here.
Studies and data resources by topic
Credit cards
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Small and medium-sized businesses
Our standards
All of our data projects go through a rigorous process before publication. During the planning stage, editors, data writers and analysts, subject matter experts and communications specialists share perspectives and ask tough questions of all potential ideas. We use data from only the most reputable sources, and our methodologies and calculations are all checked and rechecked for sound rationale and accuracy. Our data-driven work also goes through a minimum of three rounds of editing before publication.
Our nationally representative surveys are conducted in collaboration with The Harris Poll. We've been working with The Harris Poll since 2014 to field statistically sound and robust surveys weighted to be representative within age, gender, race/ethnicity, region, household income, education, employment, marital status and size of household where necessary to align with their actual proportions in the population.
Media inquiries
For questions, including requests for data or interviews with our analyst and experts, please contact press@nerdwallet.com.
Survey snippets
Concert Ticket Spending and Inflation Data
Roughly one in five Americans (21%) have purchased or plan to purchase concert tickets in 2025, according to a NerdWallet survey conducted online by The Harris Poll.
The youngest generation is most likely to be purchasing concert tickets this calendar year:
33% of Gen Z (ages 18-28) versus 22% of millennials (ages 29-44), 20% of Gen X (ages 45-60) and 13% of baby boomers (ages 61-79).
Younger generations are more likely to consider concert tickets a financial priority:
Both 11% of Gen Z and millennials say this, while 6% of Gen X and 2% of baby boomers do.
Ticket prices for events including concerts showed remarkably fast price growth from mid-2021 through early 2024, but have since slowed. Though price growth in this category has moderated, ticket prices are an estimated 21% higher at the beginning of 2025 than they were four years ago.
Survey: Fear and Worry Among Tax Filers
It’s tax season, and many Americans may be filled with some degree of anxiety about the process and the outcomes. According to this recent NerdWallet survey conducted online by The Harris Poll:
21% of Americans are afraid of making mistakes on their federal income tax returns.
9% of Americans worry about being audited by the IRS.
20% of Americans usually have no idea if they’ll owe money or get a refund when they file their taxes.
Gen Z (ages 18-28) is more likely than all other generations to not know what to expect — 31% vs. 19% of millennials (ages 29-44), 18% of Gen X (ages 45-60) and 15% of baby boomers (ages 61-79).
Related content:
2025 Summer Camp Finances
According to a February 2025 NerdWallet survey, conducted online by The Harris Poll, a quarter of Americans who plan to enroll their child(ren) in summer camp this year (25%) anticipate spending more than $2,000, per child, on summer camp fees.
Among those who plan to enroll their child(ren) in summer camp in 2025, the survey also found:
22% are able to access free or discounted summer camp
20% wouldn’t be able to pay for summer camp without financial assistance from a family member
18% say it’s financially difficult for them to pay for summer camp
17% will go into debt to pay for summer camp this year
11% have used/will use the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (DCFSA) to cover at least some summer camp expenses
Americans' gambling habits over the past year
According to a December 2024 NerdWallet survey, conducted by The Harris Poll, nearly 3 in 4 Americans (72%) say they’ve gambled in the past 12 months. The most common type of gambling they participated in is scratch-off lottery tickets (48%).
Americans who’ve gambled in the past 12 months say they’ve spent $1,827, on average, on gambling during that time, though the median is much lower at $220.
Nearly half of Americans who gambled in the past 12 months (47%) say they rarely make bets larger than $20.
While 23% of those who’ve gambled in the past 12 months say they budget gambling into their monthly expenses, the same proportion (23%) often feel like they’re scraping by financially.
Around 1 in 6 Americans who gambled in the past 12 months (17%) say they consider gambling to be an investment.
How many Americans have emergency funds?
Emergency funds can be the foundation of financial security. An unexpected medical bill or car repair can throw your finances into turmoil when you don’t have funds set aside for such surprises. Unfortunately, just 42% of Americans have an emergency fund of at least $2,000 on hand, according to this NerdWallet survey conducted online by The Harris Poll in November.
42% of Americans currently have an emergency fund (i.e., easily accessible “cash” for unexpected expenses) of at least $2,000.
These funds are most common among baby boomers (ages 60-78) — 55% of this group has such a fund versus 39% of Gen. X (ages 44-59), 36% of millennials (ages 28-43) and 31% of Gen. Z (ages 18-27).
Men (47%) are more likely than women (38%) to have such a $2,000 emergency fund.
Learn more about emergency funds, here.
