Not everyone is living their best lives in Naples or Fort Myers.
Forget the notion that locals in Collier County often dine out at fine restaurants and live in gated communities with perfectly manicured lawns.
A new report shows 42% of households in Collier County live paycheck to paycheck, according to the United Way of Collier and the Keys.
And that’s based on 2022 economic data before the steady creep of inflation which is further squeezing stretched-thin household budgets.
The situation is similar for families in Lee County, where 43% of households live paycheck to paycheck.
“Across the board people are struggling more than they were two years ago,” said Tiffani Mensch, president and chief executive officer of United Way of Collier and the Keys.
The struggle has not let up
Some workers in the lowest-paying jobs across the U.S. saw their wages go up, but the number of households in Florida struggling grew by 190,000, according to data from the United Way.
The latest figure is that 4,056,220 households statewide are living paycheck to paycheck.