Millions of families are living in perpetual financial insecurity.

Low-income families are still unable to accrue enough savings to see themselves through a period of joblessness. Some 37% of those households are “liquid asset poor,” based on the latest U.S. Census Bureau data, meaning they don’t have enough money in their bank account or other assets to replace three months of income at the poverty level (that’s just $6,150 for a family of four).

This inability to save is partly due to irregular work, according to the “2017 Prosperity Now Scorecard,” an annual review of new research covering the state of finances of U.S. households by the Washington, D.C.-based Prosperity Now, formerly known as the Corporation for Enterprise Development, a nonprofit think tank focused on expanding opportunities for low-income families.

The report uses new data from several sources, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the U.S. Census Bureau. The “liquid asset poor” figure is supported by previous research of all income groups. (When asked if they had set aside a rainy day fund that would cover three months of expenses, only 47% said they did, a separate U.S. Federal Reserve study found.)

Don’t miss:One-quarter of Americans are one emergency away from financial disaster

The financial situation was far worse for people of color, the Prosperity Now report found. Some 81% of Latino households and 57% of African-American households have virtually no savings, versus 28% of Caucasian households. In addition to the need for higher wages, workers are grappling with a lack of access to employer-sponsored health insurance, the report found.

“This inability to save stems in part from the increasing number of jobs that don’t provide a reliable stream of income, leaving many working families vulnerable to jarring ups-and-downs in their take-home pay,” the report concluded. It also found that one-in-five households experienced “moderate to significant income volatility” from month-to-month during the past year due to irregular jobs.

It also noted:

• The poverty rate fell to 13.8% for the first year since the recession, but the gap between white households in poverty (10.4%) and those of color (21.8%) was unchanged.

• The annual unemployment rate of 4.9% almost reached the 2006 to 2007 low of 4.6%, and yet 1 in 4 jobs are in low-wage occupations, a rate unchanged since 2012.

• The rate of homeowners paying more that 30% of their income for housing fell to 29.6% — eight percentage points lower than the high of 38% in 2010.

• Just 7% of households are “unbanked” — an historic low — and more than 50% of credit users have a prime credit score, a 2.1 percentage-point increase over last year.

Since 2012, California moved up 16 places in the ranking of 50 states and D.C. to 26th place — more than any other state over that period. “During that period an improving economy allowed the state to increase investments in education, health and a range of safety net programs that help families achieve financial security,” the report concluded.

“Beyond providing a cushion to get families through emergencies, increased savings and wealth allow families to invest in their future and gain ground for future generations,” said Andrea Levere, president of Prosperity Now. “It’s clear that far too many people are stuck in economic limbo. They may be getting by, but they aren’t getting ahead.”

Also see:Want to buy happiness? Splurge on these 5 things

Since the report began publishing annually in 2012, Louisiana’s ranking has fallen 15 spots to 50th place — more than any other state — due to the effects of cuts to government programs such as Medicaid and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families. A similar scenario played out in Kansas, which has seen its ranking fall 10 spots to 21st place since 2012.

Across all income groups, 20 million households (17%) have zero or negative net worth, meaning they owe more than they own. And disparities in net worth by race and income are the largest of any data measured by Prosperity Now. Households of color have 14 cents for every dollar of net worth of Caucasian households (7 cents for African-American households and 10 cents for Latinos).

Millions of Americans are already struggling with student loans (over $1.3 trillion and counting), house and auto bills, and other debts. And there is less incentive to save: Central bankers hiked their short-term interest rate target in June by another quarter percentage point to a range between 1% and 1.25%, which is still an historically small return for savings left in bank accounts.