On February 6, 2018, Prosperity Now released the 2018 Scorecard Whose Bad Choices? How Policy Precludes Prosperity and What We Can Do About It. Despite an unemployment rate that has ticked downward and an overall improved economy, large numbers of Massachusetts families continue to struggle to save for a more prosperous future.

30.4% of Massachusetts households still remain liquid asset poor, meaning they have so little savings that they could not live at the poverty level for just three months if they lose a job or suffer another significant income loss. A new measure also shows that while 42.8% of households in the state did not set aside any savings for emergencies in the past year, that number is lower than the national rate of 43.7%. The data highlights the need for continued efforts in building awareness and support to advance the financial security of Massachusetts families especially as inequality widens within our state. Learn more about how Massachusetts fared here.