Approximately one in four Americans (24%) have more credit card debt than emergency savings and another 13% have neither credit card debt nor emergency savings, according to a new Bankrate.com report.

"These numbers mean that three out of every eight Americans are teetering on the edge of financial disaster," said Greg McBride, CFA, Bankrate.com's chief financial analyst. "People between the ages of 30 and 49 are in the worst shape, probably because of the expenses associated with raising children and paying a mortgage."

All told, 58% of Americans have more emergency savings than credit card debt, up from 51% last year and 55% in 2013.

Improvement was also reflected in Bankrate's Financial Security Index, which hit a new high for the second month in a row (104.8). The Index debuted in December 2010 and readings above 100 indicate improved financial security compared to one year previous. All five categories (savings, debt, net worth, job security and overall financial situation) improved over the past month.

• 24% of Americans feel more secure in their jobs than they did a year ago, twice as many as the 12% who currently feel less secure. 
• People are feeling better about their net worth by a similar margin. 
• Just 16% say their overall financial situation is worse than last year, a new low. 
• Americans are feeling better about their debt loads than at any point since June 2013. 
• Even savings, long the laggard of financial security, is closing the gap. Whereas the percentage of Americans less comfortable with their savings used to routinely outnumber those who were more comfortable by a 2-to-1 margin, the divide has narrowed dramatically. 28% are less comfortable with their savings now versus February 2014 and 22% are more comfortable. 
• Men and women both note improved financial security compared to one year ago, as well as improvement over the past month. Men continue to feel better about their financial security than women (overall and on each of the five components).

The survey was conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) and can be seen in its entirety here:

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/consumer-index/financial-security-charts-0215.aspx