More than a third of Americans say they are worse off financially because of the shutdown, according to a new Redfin survey
45% of respondents are less likely to make a major purchase overall due to the government shutdown, up from 21% in early October
7% of Americans with monthly housing payments have missed a payment in the past three months, while 13% have been late on a payment. 14% predict they will miss or be late on a housing payment in the next three months.
Nearly half of Americans (45%) say they’re less likely to make a major purchase like a home or car due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, according to a new Redfin survey. That share has doubled over the past month, rising from 21% in early October to 45% in early November—as detailed in a new report from Redfin, the real estate brokerage powered by Rocket.
The biggest jump came among those who say they’re much less likely to make a major purchase, rising from 14% to 28%. Another 17% say they’re a little less likely, up from 8% a month earlier.
Just over half (51%) say the shutdown hasn’t changed their likelihood of making a major purchase, down from 64% in early October.
This is according to a Redfin-commissioned survey conducted by Ipsos on November 3-4, 2025. The nationally representative survey was fielded to 1,005 U.S. residents. Results are compared to a survey fielded on October 3 at the start of the government shutdown, and to a survey fielded from August 7-14 about job security. See the report for more information about the survey methodology.
The federal government shut down on October 1, after Congress failed to agree on a new budget for the 2026 fiscal year, forcing hundreds of thousands of federal workers to go without pay and disrupting some state and local programs that rely on federal funding. The stalemate has rattled economists and consumers alike. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the shutdown could shave up to $14 billion off the U.S. economy and temporarily slow growth by as much as two percentage points if it extends through the end of November.
Discover the latest trends and insights—explore the Business Insights Journal for up-to-date strategies and industry breakthroughs!
