Using Survey Data to Measure Financial Well-being: Focusing on Residents of Incheon and New Towns in Gyeonggi-do

Abstract

Financial well-being is a complex concept that represents a state in which individuals are currently able to afford the necessities of life, pay utility bills on time, meet the responsibilities for credit use, and sustain financial resilience for the future. People with improved levels of financial well-being can be more free from mental and psychological distress arising from personal financial problems and maintain a more secure life. This study uses survey data collected by the Korea Financial Consumer Protection Foundation to measure financial well-being of residents of Incheon, the first-phase, and the second-phase New Towns in Gyeonggi-do, and to examine their characteristics and differences. While the financial well-being level is the highest in the second-phase New Town area, that of Incheon is low. In particular, the financial well-being score of Incheon residents is not only lower than the national average, but falls short of half of the maximum possible score of 100. The share of people suffering severe financial stress ranges from 5% to 8%, depending on the region, and that of people with financial insecurity ranges from 38% to 49%. Gender, age, and education are largely unrelated to financial well-being scores, but respondents aged 55 to 64 score significantly lower than other age groups, indicating that the elderly are exposed to financial pains. Regression analysis shows that factors such as positive thinking, residential satisfaction, restful personality, and financial attitudes are significant factors influencing the financial well-being score. In order to more accurately understand regional financial well-being, it is recommended to identify Korea-specific elements that reflect financial markets as well as economic and cultural characteristics, and to regularly collect data through large-scale surveys, hopefully at the government level.