San Diegans Say Financial Uncertainty Harming Their Physical, Mental Wellbeing

Financial uncertainty is having a significant impact on the wellbeing of San Diegans. From sleep quality and mental health to personal relationships and job performance, money is weighing heavily on their minds and their bodies.

These are some of the latest findings from Northwestern Mutual’s 2025 Planning & Progress Study, the company’s proprietary research series that explores the attitudes, behaviors, and perspectives of San Diego area residents across a broad set of issues impacting their long-term financial security.

Feelings and emotions about money are showing up in their day-to-day lives in many ways:

• Depression and anxiety: More than 7 in 10 in San Diego (73%) say that financial uncertainty has made them feel depressed and anxious, more than the national average of 69%.
• Sleepless nights: Meanwhile, nearly two in three (65%) of San Diegans say money worries have kept them up at night, exceeding the national average of 63%.
• Anxiety creating issues: A majority of those in San Diego who are married or living with their partner (57%) say that financial uncertainty has impacted their relationship with their spouse or partner, the same as the national average.
• Sidetracking social events and job performance: Nearly six in 10 (59%) in San Diego say their financial concerns have caused them to miss out on a social event, higher than the national average of 55%. Meanwhile, nearly half (49%) say their worries about money have affected their job performance, identical to the national average.
• Feeling sick: More than 4 in 10 (44%) in San Diego say that financial worries have made them feel physically ill, higher than the national average of 40%.

“We’ve heard loud and clear from people in San Diego that financial worries can impact day-to-day health and wellness,” said Kate Johnson, financial advisor. “When you’re not confident about money, it’s a lot more difficult to have healthy relationships, decent sleep habits and a fulfilling social life. I believe the No. 1 job of a financial advisor is to build that confidence over time through a thoughtful and comprehensive financial plan.”

Finances outrank physical health and mental health as greatest weakness

As part of the study, San Diegans were asked to describe how “strong” or “weak” they feel about various aspects of their personal lives. Nearly half (49%) of San Diegans label their finances as “weak” – a sum that significantly outpaced shaky feelings about their friendships (29%), physical health (25%), job stability (25%), mental health (24%), and their relationships with family (18%).

“The survey uncovered the biggest weakness San Diegans see in their lives relate to money management – and it’s something our community and our industry need to address,” said Johnson. “Financial planning can make a difference if it’s prioritized, and that starts by having candid conversations with a trusted financial advisor.”

For more information about the study, visit https://news.northwesternmutual.com/planning-and-progress-study-2025.

About the 2025 Northwestern Mutual Planning & Progress Study

The 2025 Planning & Progress Study was conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Northwestern Mutual among 4,626 U.S. adults aged 18 or older. The survey was conducted online between January 2 and January 19, 2025. Data are weighted where necessary by age, gender, race/ethnicity, region, education, marital status, household size, household income, and propensity to be online to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population. A complete survey methodology is available.

About Northwestern Mutual

Northwestern Mutual has been helping people and businesses achieve financial security for more than 165 years. Through a comprehensive planning approach, Northwestern Mutual combines the expertise of its financial professionals with a personalized digital experience and industry-leading products to help its clients plan for what's most important. With nearly $700 billion of total assets[i] being managed across the company’s institutional portfolio as well as retail investment client portfolios, more than $38 billion in revenues, and $2.4 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial security to more than five million people with life, disability income and long-term care insurance, annuities, and brokerage and advisory services. Northwestern Mutual ranked 110 on the 2024 FORTUNE 500 and was recognized by FORTUNE® as one of the "World's Most Admired" life insurance companies in 2025.

Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM), Milwaukee, WI (life and disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance with long-term care benefits) and its subsidiaries. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS) (investment brokerage services), broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company® (NMWMC) (investment advisory and services), federal savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company (NLTC) (long-term care insurance). Not all Northwestern Mutual representatives are advisors. Only those representatives with "Advisor" in their title or who otherwise disclose their status as an advisor of NMWMC are credentialed as NMWMC representatives to provide investment advisory services.

1 Includes investments and separate account assets of Northwestern Mutual as well as retail investment client assets held or managed by Northwestern Mutual.

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