What the data shows
The Take — Recession worry remains stubbornly high as personal financial struggles and job fears keep anxiety in focus.
What's Happening — People are still openly anxious about the cost of living and job security. Searches for both “unemployment” and “inflation” are steady, showing neither concern is fading even as the index ticks down slightly. Conversations this week have shifted from abstract talk to more personal stories—like not being able to afford a wheelchair—which highlight how everyday realities are driving the mood. The balance of fear between job losses and rising prices means the tone hasn’t softened: folks are still bracing for hardship rather than expecting relief.
Despite a tiny dip from yesterday, overall sentiment is stuck in an elevated worry zone. The fact that both unemployment and inflation searches are holding near their recent peaks suggests people aren’t seeing much hope for immediate improvement in their wallets or paychecks.
Looking Ahead — Unless people start feeling real relief on costs or job outlooks, expect concern to stay high. Personal stories and practical worries are likely to keep shaping the conversation.
This reflects public sentiment, not economic conditions.
Why this matters today
55 — Elevated. First time below High Concern in two weeks. The Fed says no recession, tariff effects are temporary. Meanwhile people online keep writing about jobs and groceries. Interesting disconnect. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/r-word-index-recession-pulse/id6760947480 #Recession
Posted on @RWIndex on .
How this compares
A week earlier the index was 67. That's a drop of 12 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.