How Much Did Tariffs Cost Your Family?
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How Tariffs Connect to Financial Distress
Tariffs are a consumption tax. They raise the price of imported goods — from electronics and clothing to auto parts and building materials. Unlike income taxes, tariff costs are regressive: households earning under $32,000 pay roughly 3% of their income, while households above $140,000 pay under 1%.
The 2025 tariff escalation more than doubled the average household burden from 0.72% (2019) to 1.72%. For a family earning $50,000, that's the equivalent of an extra $1,150 per year in costs — money that otherwise would go to savings, debt payments, or essentials.
This is why the tariff burden indicator is tracked as an upstream cost pressure in the American Distress Index framework. When household costs rise faster than wages, the savings buffer erodes. When the buffer is gone, missed payments follow. The ADI currently reads 59.0 (Elevated). See all cost-of-living data.