Most Changed Indicators
Which distress signals are moving fastest? Ranked by year-over-year change magnitude across 85 indicators.
Last built: 2026-03-23
Of the 85 indicators tracked by the American Distress Index, 56 are worsening and 29 are improving year-over-year. The ADI currently reads 59.0 — Elevated.
Fastest Worsening
Indicators where the year-over-year change is moving in the direction of greater household distress.
Fastest Improving
Indicators where the year-over-year change is moving toward less household distress.
| # | Indicator | Current | YoY Change | YoY % | Component |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prescription Drug CPI | -0.68% | -5.14 pp | -115.3% | Upstream Pressure |
| 2 | Senior Loan Officer Survey: Banks Tightening Standards | 0.00% | -9.40 pp | -100.0% | Upstream Pressure |
| 3 | Energy CPI (All Items) | 0.34% | -0.49 pp | -59.3% | Upstream Pressure |
| 4 | Shelter CPI | 3.26% | -1.14 pp | -25.8% | Upstream Pressure |
| 5 | The Pipeline Foreclosure Starts vs Completions Ratio | 4.75 | -1.54 | -24.5% | Legal Filings |
| 6 | The Energy Squeeze Energy Cost Burden (Energy PCE as % of Disposable Income) | 3.35% | -0.81 pp | -19.5% | Upstream Pressure |
| 7 | Mortgage Origination Volume | $524.4B | +$59.07B | +12.7% | Debt Stress |
| 8 | Wage Growth vs CPI Spread | 1.24 pts | +0.13 pp | +11.4% | Upstream Pressure |
| 9 | CPI Inflation Rate (All Items) | 2.66% | -0.33 pp | -10.9% | Upstream Pressure |
| 10 | Charge-Off Rate on All Loans | 0.61% | -0.07 pp | -10.3% | Legal Filings |
| 11 | Charge-Off Rate on Credit Card Loans | 4.11% | -0.47 pp | -10.3% | Debt Stress |
| 12 | Large vs Small Bank Credit Card Delinquency Spread | 3.68 pts | -0.40 pp | -9.8% | Debt Stress |
| 13 | The Other Banks Credit Card Delinquency Rate — Banks Outside Top 100 | 6.62% | -0.54 pp | -7.5% | Debt Stress |
| 14 | Unbanked / Underbanked Household Rate | 4.20% | -0.30 pp | -6.7% | Demographics |
| 15 | Delinquency Rate on Consumer Loans (ex credit card) | 2.27% | -0.16 pp | -6.6% | Debt Stress |
What This Tells Us
The balance between worsening and improving indicators provides a quick pulse check on household financial conditions. When the majority of indicators are worsening, it signals broadening distress — not just isolated pockets.
The American Distress Index synthesizes these movements into a single composite score. It currently reads 59.0 — Elevated — meaning household financial distress is measurably above the 2015–2024 baseline. View the full ADI breakdown →
How This Page Works
This page is auto-generated at build time. It reads every indicator JSON file, computes
year-over-year changes (or period-over-period for indicators with less than a year of history),
and ranks them by the absolute magnitude of percentage change. "Worsening" and "improving"
are determined by each indicator's direction field — for most distress indicators,
an increase is worsening.
Indicators with annual frequency compare to the prior year. Quarterly indicators compare to the same quarter last year. Monthly indicators compare to the same month last year.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are the 'most changed' indicators calculated?
Each indicator is ranked by the absolute magnitude of its year-over-year percentage change. Worsening vs. improving is determined by the indicator's direction — for 'higher is worse' indicators like delinquency rates, an increase is worsening. For 'lower is worse' indicators like the savings rate, a decrease is worsening.
How often is this page updated?
This page regenerates automatically every time the site builds, which happens whenever new data arrives via the automated FRED, BLS, or press release parsing pipelines. Most indicators update monthly or quarterly.
What does the American Distress Index currently show?
The ADI currently reads 59.0 — in the Elevated zone. It tracks 85 indicators of household financial distress across five components: Buffer Depletion, Debt Stress, Financial Conditions, Cost Pressure, and Labor Market.
Why do some indicators show large percentage changes?
Indicators measured in small absolute numbers (like percentage-point spreads or ratios near zero) can show large percentage changes from small absolute movements. The absolute change column provides context alongside the percentage change.
Can I track a specific indicator over time?
Yes. Click any indicator name to see its full detail page with historical chart, data table, year-over-year changes, editorial context, and related signals.