Are you anxious about your personal economic situation? If so, you’re not alone. Despite the continued improvement in the U.S. economy, there’s still discontent among many Americans about their personal economic situations, according to a new poll from Marketplace and Edison Research.

The results of that poll were released today and developed into the first-ever Marketplace-Edison Research Economic Anxiety Index.

Among the more than 1,000 Americans surveyed:

  • More than one in four people are losing sleep over their current financial situation.
  • Sixty-three percent said they are sometimes or frequently anxious about their financial situation.
  • Forty-two percent said they feel stuck in their current financial situation.
  • Nearly two in five of those surveyed who have student loans don’t think those loans were worth it.

“The results of this poll show an interesting dynamic,” said Deborah Clark, Marketplace vice president and executive producer. “Data tell us that our economy is growing stronger every month, yet people feel like they’re continuing to struggle. People are losing sleep over worries about advancing their careers, finding work if they lose their jobs, paying the mortgage and making rent.”

How those individual fears play out on the national scene when voters head to the polls next year is yet to be seen, but the Economic Anxiety Index – which will be released periodically throughout the election cycle – is an important metric of which the 2016 presidential candidates should take note.

The Economic Anxiety Index, a scale from 0 to 100, was developed from the responses to poll questions about respondents’ own financial situations, their fears about job security, and their concerns about meeting their expenses. The higher the number, the more economic stress someone is feeling. The Economic Anxiety Index mean score across all demographics is 31, though it varies widely among subgroups.

The “99 percent” is not created equal

While it’s common to hear about the gap between the one percent and all the rest, there are much more telling divisions, including salaried workers versus hourly workers. Among hourly workers, 32 percent say their financial situation causes lost sleep, compared to 17 percent among those who are paid a salary. Similarly, 43 percent of hourly workers feel stuck, while only 21 percent of salaried workers report feeling that way. The Economic Anxiety Index scores of those groups reflect that difference. Hourly workers have a mean Anxiety Index of 39, compared to 26 for salaried workers.

“This Anxiety Index confirmed something that we’ve seen in our reporting over the years: The economy is personal,” Clark said. “No matter what the jobs reports, housing index or other indicators say, the numbers that matter most are those that hit closest to home. As the election nears and we conduct additional polling, it will be interesting to see how these Anxiety Index numbers correlate with Americans’ political choices.”

Hope for opportunity amid worry

In spite of the deep anxiety felt by Americans across demographic groups, there remains a sense of optimism – that hard work is more important than luck in getting ahead and that the American Dream is still attainable. In fact, 72 percent of respondents believe that they have a fair opportunity to achieve the life they hope for.