Stagnant wages and rising costs are hindering the ability of American workers to achieve their life goals, including buying a home, starting a family and saving for retirement.

A new survey of 1,065 American workers by career services company Zety found that 36% of employees feel hopeless, anxious or frustrated about their financial situation. Half of survey respondents said starting or growing a family is beyond their means at their current salary, while 40% said they can’t save for retirement and 36% said homeownership is unattainable. Survey respondents also said they’ve had to delay or give up on pursuing higher education and traveling due to finances.


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