Women, people of color more likely to be financially worse off after pandemic year: poll

Women and Americans in minority groups are more likely to say that their families are financially worse off now than before the COVID-19 pandemic began last year, according to a new poll.

In a Washington Post-ABC News poll published this week, 1 in 4 women — 25 percent — said they are in worse financial situations than they were at the beginning of 2020, while just 18 percent of male respondents agreed.

People of color are also more likely to say that they faced job losses or pay cuts amid the pandemic, with 27 percent saying they are now financially worse off, compared to 18 percent of white respondents.

In general, about 1 in 5 respondents — 22 percent — told pollsters they are in worse financial straits than they were before COVID-19 hit, while just 14 percent said they are doing better and 64 percent said they are doing “about the same.”

Americans in the survey appear to trust the newly inaugurated Biden administration to solve the country’s economic woes, however, as President Biden gets positive marks in the poll for his handling of the economy. Just more than half of respondents — 52 percent — said they approve of the job Biden is doing on that issue, while 41 percent disapprove.

The Washington Post-ABC News poll surveyed 1,007 adults across the U.S. between April 18-21. Its results have a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points.