This proportion of consumers who could and could not cover an unexpected cost is nearly identical across urban and rural areas, indicating much more similarity than difference in our state's shared financial reality.

Why it matters

With growing financial pressures like rising housing and utility costs, Oregonians' resilience to unexpected costs is becoming more strained. In the last two years, our surveys have shown a decline in the proportion of those who can pay without difficulty and an increase in those who cannot afford the expense.

These findings provide us with a better understanding of the ability of early 1,900 Oregonians to weather an unexpected cost, more so than individual demographic data alone.

Pulling back the curtain on shared circumstances of those living with the most uncertainty helps us see the systemic gaps preventing equitable access to resources in Oregon. It also shows us why the pursuit of consumer justice sits at the intersection of so many issues and opportunities for advancement in our communities.

What we found

Data suggest that once Oregonians are struggling to face a major expense out of the blue, they may have already been dealing with overlapping economic barriers, making a stressful situation that much more precarious.

This survey found that those who have trouble paying a $400 emergency expense are more likely than others to experience various types of unfair treatment, whether they're purchasing a car, taking out a loan, or dealing with a debt collector.

This builds on national research showing that consumers who are in financial distress are up to twice as likely to be targeted by scams and fraud as those in middle- and upper-income households. 

 “I don’t think many people even have savings right now let alone an emergency fund. I know my family would be completely at a loss if we had an emergency expense come up. We can[‘t] get any loans because of bad credit and we can[‘t] afford to pull any more credit cards. I think more than not people are in the same boat as us.” 

-Woman, age 18-29, Jackson County, White

Consumers' access to education is one of the key distinctions between those who feel confident in their ability to deal with a steep surprise charge and those who don't. Oregonians without a high school diploma are more than four times as likely to be bankrupt by emergency than those with a four-year degree (51% versus 12%), reinforcing that early systemic disadvantages only intensify over time without intervention.

Bottom line

While unfair treatment and resulting financial uncertainty affect a sizeable portion of Oregonians, we are far from powerless in creating a consumer marketplace that works better for all of us.

Our research shows that those who feel most at risk when facing an unplanned cost are the ones who most frequently speak up against consumer injustices in general. But it's not just up to those dealing with the most consequential financial harms to hold companies accountable for the predatory behavior widening Oregon's socioeconomic divide.

Whether we report a scam to the Federal Trade Commission, file a complaint against a business that's breaking the rules, or tell our own story to raise awareness of unfair practices, every one of us plays a role in building the thriving future Oregonians deserve.