What the data shows
The Take — Recession anxiety is rising fast as inflation fears dominate public conversation.
What's Happening — Concern has surged to a new weekly high, with inflation at the center of nearly every discussion. People are increasingly frustrated by higher prices sticking around longer than expected, fueling fresh doubts about the economy’s direction. The spike in searches for “inflation” shows that folks aren’t just noticing higher costs—they’re actively looking for answers and bracing for more pain at the checkout.
This rising anxiety isn’t coming from one big news story but from a steady drumbeat of personal stories: grocery bills, rent, and daily essentials are biting harder. With the R-Word Index climbing well above its recent average, the mood is shifting from cautious to openly uneasy.
Looking Ahead — If inflation keeps making headlines and people keep feeling it in their wallets, expect concern to stay high or climb further.
This reflects public sentiment, not economic conditions.
Why this matters today
CNN asks "A recession is guaranteed — but when?" Meanwhile, 65% of people in a March survey expect one within 12 months. Our R-Word Index bounced back to 69 — High Concern. Grocery bills and rent keep driving the conversation. https://rwindex.app #Recession #Stagflation
Posted on @RWIndex on .
How this compares
A week earlier the index was 53. That's a rise of 20 points over seven days.
The last two weeks
The R-Word Index is built from public human-authored writing — not media headlines. How this index is calculated.