It’s no big surprise that consumers in the market for home furnishings aren’t feeling great about the economy and their personal finances — or that some are delaying buying furniture because of tariffs.
But the latest exclusive research from Consumer Insights Now shows two key groups — high-income earners and baby boomers — are feeling significantly better about things than other demographics.
CIN research, which focuses on the buying preferences and needs of furniture shoppers, is conducted twice a year for Design News Now and its sister publications. Its latest findings could provide marketing direction for brands seeking to boost sales in an otherwise lackluster market.
Overall, 44% of consumers surveyed rated the U.S. economy as terrible or poor, with 32% describing it as fair. Less than one-quarter (22%) think the economy is in good or excellent shape, according to the latest research, which is sponsored by Bread Financial.
I wouldn’t say high-income earners (those making $100,000 or more a year) are psyched about the economy, but they are more bullish than their less-affluent counterparts, with 28% calling the economy good or excellent. Only 17% of those making under $50,000 rated the economy as high; as did only 22% of those in the middle-income group. High-income earners are also less likely to describe the economy as terrible or poor (34%) than those making less than $50,000 (51%) or those in the middle-income group (44%).
Baby boomers are more optimistic about the economy than any other age demographic, with 27% rating the overall economy as excellent or good, 36% deeming it fair and 37% calling it terrible or poor, according to CIN.
The differences in attitudes among groups about their personal finances are even more stark. Overall, 43% of the consumers surveyed said their personal finances are excellent or good, 40% called them fair and 17% rated them as terrible or poor.
But look at the attitudes of high-income earners: When asked to rate their personal financial situation, 64% of those making $100,000 or more described it as excellent or good, 32% deemed it fair and only 4% said it’s terrible or poor. That’s far more positive than those in other income groups.
Notably, 28% of high-income earners said their financial situation is actually better this year than in 2024.
We see a similar pattern with baby boomers: 61% said their personal financial situation is excellent or good, 32% called it fair and only 7% said it’s terrible or poor. Nearly one-quarter (22%) of boomers said their personal finances are better in 2025 than a year ago. Again, those responses are much more positive than answers given by younger age groups.
Tariffs are a concern across demographics, with 43% of furniture shoppers overall saying they are worried about tariffs on imported goods and 28% saying they are concerned specifically about tariffs on imported furniture. Overall, half of respondents to the CIN survey said they’ve put off purchases because of the tariffs.
With marketing budgets for many brands tight, the CIN research may help direct dollars to reach consumers most likely to open their wallets for furniture.
While the first round of the fall research focuses on furniture shoppers’ perceptions of the U.S. economy, subsequent rounds provide other valuable insights. Upcoming reports will look at the typical shopping journey and motivations for furniture shoppers (released Sept. 22), consumers’ furniture needs and purchasing drivers (Sept. 29), buying in-store vs. online (Oct. 6), and consumers’ attitudes about their home, style preferences and shopping preferences (Oct. 13).
About the research: The latest round of Consumer Insights Now research is being released in five batches, every Monday through Oct. 13. You can read the reports here.
CIN research is conducted twice a year for Design News Now and its sister publications, Home News Now, Casual News Now, Bedding News Now and Lighting News Now. Industry veteran Dana French leads the CIN research projects.
The latest research, sponsored by Bread Financial, surveyed 1,200 adult U.S. consumers from Aug. 16-18. All respondents purchased home furnishings from January 2025 to mid-August 2025 or planned to purchase in the second half of August 2025 through December 2025. All respondents are either the primary or joint furniture purchase decision-maker.
