According to the Healthcare Affordability Index survey conducted in 2021, around 49 percent of adults in the U.S. with an annual household income of less than 24 thousand U.S. dollars are 'cost insecure', while a further 14 percent are 'cost desperate'. This statistic illustrates the ability of Americans to afford quality healthcare in the U.S. in 2021 according to the Healthcare Affordability Index, by income.
Distribution of ability to afford healthcare according to the Healthcare Affordability Index of adults in the U.S. in 2021, by annual household income
(in U.S. dollars)
Annual income in U.S. dollars
Cost secure
Cost insecure
Cost desperate
<24K
37%
49%
14%
24K≤48K
42%
45%
13%
48K≤90K
51%
38%
11%
90K≤120K
62%
34%
4%
120K≤180K
72%
25%
3%
180K+
77%
22%
2%
0%25%50%75%100%125%
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The source adds the following: The Healthcare Affordability Index evaluates three key factors to determine how many Americans can afford care by classifying them into three categories:
"Cost Secure": These persons report no recent experience of being unable to afford care
"Cost Insecure": These persons report recent experience of being unable to pay for care or medicine or lack easy access.
"Cost Desperate": These persons report recent experiences of being unable to pay for household care, being unable to pay for prescribed medicine and feeling that they would not have access to affordable quality care if needed today.
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Gallup, & West Health. (March 31, 2022). Distribution of ability to afford healthcare according to the Healthcare Affordability Index of adults in the U.S. in 2021, by annual household income (in U.S. dollars) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved June 06, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1341342/healthcare-affordability-index-of-adults-in-the-us/
Gallup, und West Health. "Distribution of ability to afford healthcare according to the Healthcare Affordability Index of adults in the U.S. in 2021, by annual household income (in U.S. dollars)." Chart. March 31, 2022. Statista. Accessed June 06, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1341342/healthcare-affordability-index-of-adults-in-the-us/
Gallup, West Health. (2022). Distribution of ability to afford healthcare according to the Healthcare Affordability Index of adults in the U.S. in 2021, by annual household income (in U.S. dollars). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: June 06, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1341342/healthcare-affordability-index-of-adults-in-the-us/
Gallup, and West Health. "Distribution of Ability to Afford Healthcare According to The Healthcare Affordability Index of Adults in The U.S. in 2021, by Annual Household Income (in U.S. Dollars)." Statista, Statista Inc., 31 Mar 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1341342/healthcare-affordability-index-of-adults-in-the-us/
Gallup & West Health, Distribution of ability to afford healthcare according to the Healthcare Affordability Index of adults in the U.S. in 2021, by annual household income (in U.S. dollars) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1341342/healthcare-affordability-index-of-adults-in-the-us/ (last visited June 06, 2025)
Distribution of ability to afford healthcare according to the Healthcare Affordability Index of adults in the U.S. in 2021, by annual household income (in U.S. dollars) [Graph], Gallup, & West Health, March 31, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1341342/healthcare-affordability-index-of-adults-in-the-us/
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