Inflation and housing costs squeeze homeowners 55+, Longbridge index shows

# Overview

Longbridge Financial released the inaugural 2026 Home Equity Confidence Index based on a national Morning Consult survey of 2,021 U.S. homeowners age 55 and older. The index finds limited optimism: only 28% of respondents expect their finances to improve in the next year. Forty-four percent expect their situation to stay the same, 23% expect it to worsen, and 5% are unsure.

# What respondents say are the biggest pressures

Inflation and the rising cost of living top the list of concerns, cited by 67% of surveyed homeowners. Healthcare costs rank second at 43%. Housing-related expenses also loom large: property taxes and home maintenance each worry 38% of respondents, while 26% cite homeowners insurance. Overall, nine in ten homeowners reported at least one major financial worry measured by the survey.

# How confidence breaks down by income

The index highlights large differences in financial confidence across household income brackets.

• Long-term financial security: 76% of homeowners with household incomes of $100,000 or more say they feel confident about long-term security, compared with 58% for those earning $50,000–$100,000 and 39% for incomes under $50,000.
• Everyday expenses: 86% of respondents earning $100,000+ say they are confident they can afford day-to-day costs, versus 57% among those earning less than $50,000.
• Retirement lifestyle: 79% of homeowners with incomes of $100,000+ are confident they can afford leisure and travel in retirement, compared with 36% for the under-$50,000 group.

Those gaps show a 37-point spread on long-term security and a 43-point spread on retirement lifestyle expectations between the highest- and lowest-income groups.

# Gender differences in financial stress

The index shows measurable differences by gender, with women reporting higher levels of concern on several items. The largest gap is on home maintenance: 45% of women list it as a major financial concern versus 31% of men. Other gaps include homeowners insurance (29% of women vs. 23% of men), inflation (69% vs. 64%), and debt payments (24% vs. 20%).

Chris Mayer, CEO of Longbridge Financial, is quoted in the index noting that averages obscure these splits: "The financial pressure we're seeing among older homeowners isn't uniform. When you dig into the data, you see that confidence looks very different depending on household income, and women are reporting greater concern than men across several financial pressures."

# Implications for housing and financial services

The survey suggests several implications for lenders, servicers, advisers and product designers working with the 55-plus market:

• Demand for tools that convert home equity into retirement income may be strongest among lower- and middle-income households that report the least confidence.

• Rising fixed housing costs—property taxes, maintenance, insurance—are reshaping retirement planning and could influence product design and marketing.

# What Longbridge will publish next

Longbridge said the index findings will be released in a series of reports that dig into key financial and housing issues affecting older homeowners, including how they view home equity as part of retirement planning.

# Bottom line

Index paints a picture of limited optimism among homeowners 55 and older. Inflation and housing-related costs are the dominant pressures, and confidence varies strongly by household income and gender, which affects who is most likely to seek home-equity solutions.