EconoFact

Graphic detailing a larger "2X" meaning "twice" on the left-hand side, and "Food insecurity rates in U.S. households with children average at least twice as high among Black and Hispanic families when compared to White ones" on the right-hand side.

Food insecurity rates in U.S. households with children average at least twice as high among Black and Hispanic families when compared to White ones.

Read more ➡️ econofact.org/the-pandemic...

Are Tariffs Raising U.S. Retail Prices? | Econofact Prices of over 350,000 products at major U.S. retailers show a slow and gradual pass-through of tariffs to consumers. Both imports and U.S.-made goods are affected.

Are tariffs raising US retail prices? Recent data indicates goods prices have indeed been increasing in response to tariffs, although the magnitude of price increases remains modest relative to the announced tariff rates. econofact.org/are-tariffs-...

The Lasting Scars From Graduating in a Recession | Econofact Graduating college in a downturn can have lasting career impacts. Worsening trends for new graduates raise concerns for those graduating in the COVID recession.

Recent college graduates starting out their professional careers are particularly vulnerable to economic conditions. Young workers graduating into a recession face worse employment prospects relative to peers who graduated just before or after the recession. econofact.org/the-lasting-...

Why Has the US Homeless Population Been Rising? | Econofact In 2024, the number of people experiencing homelessness in the United States on a single night was the highest since survey records began. Why is this?

While individuals may become homeless for many reasons, overall variations in homelessness are closely associated with the availability of affordable housing. Charles Collyns (EconoFact) explains why the US homeless population has been rising: econofact.org/why-has-the-...

How Tighter Curbs on Immigration Impact the U.S. Economy | Econofact Immigration has accounted for almost half of U.S. labor force growth since 1995. Slower labor force growth would negatively impact employment and GDP growth.

While changes in the rate of immigration have a complex fiscal impact, projections suggest that on balance, higher immigration tends to reduce the government deficit and support social security payments for the retired.
econofact.org/how-tighter-...

On Debt, Fiscal Crises, and AI | Econofact Chats Greg Mankiw discusses some of the key economic challenges facing the U.S.

How might a fiscal crisis in the U.S. come about? And how might it be avoided? Greg Mankiw discusses in this episode of EconoFact Chats.
econofact.org/podcast/on-d...

The Evolving Economics of College Sports | Econofact A suit settlement that allows colleges to pay student athletes and other changes are upending the economics of college sports. But much remains uncertain.

College sports are undergoing rapid and profound transformation. Andrew Zimbalist analyses the economic impact of the recent changes.
econofact.org/the-evolving...

Fewer US Homes Are Insured Against Floods, Even as Risks Are Rising | Econofact The US's main source of flood insurance has undergone the biggest reform since it inception. Will it help reduce Americans’ financial exposure to flooding?

In spite of rising flood risks, the number of flood insurance policies in the United States has been going down. econofact.org/fewer-us-hom...

Immigration and Waning US Labor Force Growth | Econofact The growth of the working-age population born in the U.S. has slowed dramatically — particularly among less-educated workers. Has immigration filled the gap?

Recent research in the US and elsewhere finds that when labor markets are tight and firms have a hard time finding workers, immigration helps firm growth and increases firm formation, with no negative impact on wages of natives. econofact.org/immigration-...

What Impact Has Repealing Roe v. Wade Had So Far? | Econofact New research is finding evidence that differences in abortion access are contributing to diverging outcomes for women, infants, and families across states.

How has repealing Roe V. Wade impacted abortion trends in the U.S.?
econofact.org/what-effects...

Can Government Support Reduce Child Poverty? | Econofact Chats A discussion with Leslie Boissiere on the long-run economic and social costs of childhood poverty, and the role of public policy in addressing this problem.

Leslie Boissiere (@annieecaseyfdn.bsky.social) joined EconoFact Chats to discuss the effectiveness of public policy in reducing child poverty.
econofact.org/podcast/can-...

Prospects for Improving Housing Affordability | Econofact Housing affordability in the United States has declined markedly since the pandemic and spread beyond historically high-priced coastal cities.

Jeffrey Zabel explains the factors making U.S. housing less affordable
econofact.org/prospects-fo...

The United States’ Fiscal Policy in a Global Context | Econofact Public debt in the United States is projected to rise faster and reach higher levels than in most other advanced economies.

A large fiscal deficit, and high and rising public debt, especially in the context of high interest rates, raise concerns about the long-term health of the US economy. econofact.org/the-united-s...

The United States’ Role in a Changing International Economy | Econofact Chats Recent changes in US policies have altered trade relationships and the international role of the dollar. Oleg Itskhoki discusses the sources and consequences of these shifts.

Recent changes in US policies have altered trade relationships and the international role of the dollar. Oleg Itskhoki joins EconoFact Chats to discuss the sources and consequences of these shifts.
econofact.org/podcast/the-...

Tariff Wars and the United States Trade Deficit | Econofact The recent tariff hikes will have only a limited impact on the U.S. trade deficit, at the cost of a significant worsening of U.S. and global economic prospects.

Christopher Towe explains why recent tariff measures will only have a modest impact on the US trade deficit.
econofact.org/tariff-wars-...

The Cost of Financing U.S. Government Debt | Econofact The relatively short maturity structure of US government debt means that increases in interest rates translate rapidly into higher interest costs.

The US federal debt as a share of GDP is close to its highest level ever and projected to keep increasing. Higher interest rates will add to the cost of servicing the debt. econofact.org/the-cost-of-...

Can We Put a Stop to the Recurrent Threat of Government Shutdowns? (Updated) | Econofact Shutdowns can cost the government more than regular operations and can hurt the economy. There have been over 20 shutdowns in the past 50 years.

What are government shutdowns and how do they impact the economy? Bill Gale and Ian Berlin (@brookings.edu) discuss in this EconoFact memo: econofact.org/can-we-put-a...

Can Heightened Immigration Enforcement Increase Crime? | Econofact A program that increased deportations reduced the likelihood that Hispanic victims would report crimes to the police and increased crime in Hispanic communities

An increased focus on deportations could also reduce police effectiveness if victims of crime become less likely to report incidents to the police out of fear. econofact.org/can-heighten...

Can the U.S. Reduce Its Reliance on Imported Rare Earth Elements? | Econofact The U.S. depends on China for rare earth components in many military and high-tech products. Building an alternative rare earth supply chain is years away.

China is the world’s largest supplier and processor of rare earth elements. Dependence on China for these minerals remains a vulnerability in the manufacturing supply chains for many military and high technology products.
econofact.org/can-the-u-s-... "

Fixing Personal Finance | Econofact Chats A discussion with John Campbell on his new book, co-authored with Tarun Ramadorai, 'Fixed: Why Personal Finance is Broken and How to Make It Work for Everyone.'

John Campbell joins EconoFact Chats to discuss his latest book 'Fixed,' which highlights how personal finance markets often benefit the wealthy and more educated at the expense of those with fewer advantages.
econofact.org/podcast/fixi...

Helping Young Adults Thrive | Econofact Chats Lisa Lawson discusses her new book 'Thrive: How the Science of the Adolescent Brain Helps Us Imagine a Better Future for All Children.'

Lisa Lawson (@annieecaseyfdn.bsky.social)
talks about her new book 'Thrive,' which highlights how cognitive, emotional, and social development continues past puberty, and how failure to build on investments during this longer period of adolescence can result in missed mental and emotional growth.

Why Has the Price of Gold Risen So Sharply? | Econofact Gold has a long history of being held as a financial asset by private investors and central banks, which can be the source of large shifts in its price.

What factors influence the price of gold? econofact.org/why-has-the-...

Are Tariffs Raising U.S. Retail Prices? | Econofact Prices of over 350,000 products at major U.S. retailers show a slow and gradual pass-through of tariffs to consumers. Both imports and U.S.-made goods are affected.

Tariffs on imported goods have risen steeply in recent months. Have these increases translated into higher retail prices? Alberto Cavallo, Paola Llamas and Franco Vazquez discuss.
econofact.org/are-tariffs-...

The U.S. Agricultural Sector Under Stress | Econofact The Trump administration’s trade and immigration policies are having negative effects on agriculture, compounding the impact of low commodity prices and high costs.

How is the U.S. agricultural sector faring in 2025? @mchinn.bsky.social analyses challenges facing farmers.
econofact.org/the-u-s-agri...

How Immune Is the Federal Reserve From Political Pressure? | Econofact An analysis of meetings between US presidents and Fed officials finds times when presidential pressure influenced the Fed at the expense of price stability.

@tdecon.bsky.social's analysis of the interactions between US presidents and Federal Reserve officials between 1933 and 2016 shows that there were times when pressure from the president influenced the Fed’s activities at the expense of price stability.
econofact.org/how-immune-i...

Are Tariffs Raising U.S. Retail Prices? | Econofact Prices of over 350,000 products at major U.S. retailers show a slow and gradual pass-through of tariffs to consumers. Both imports and U.S.-made goods are affected.

Tariffs on imported goods are at their highest level since 1935. How are these tariffs impacting retail prices? Alberto Cavallo, Paola Llamas and Franco Vazquez explain. econofact.org/are-tariffs-...

Can the U.S. Reduce Its Reliance on Imported Rare Earth Elements? | EconoFact Dependence on China for rare earth elements remains a vulnerability in the manufacturing supply chains for military and high technology products. https://lnkd.in/evrfw8Az

Dependence on China for rare earth elements remains a vulnerability in the manufacturing supply chains for military and high technology products.
econofact.org/can-the-u-s-...

Understanding and Measuring Uncertainty | Econofact Many economic decisions involve a guess about the future. Uncertainty can cause economic transactions to be deferred or foregone and can deepen downturns.

Uncertainty affects consumer, firm, and government behavior. While uncertainty is inherently unobservable, researchers have found ways to gauge its level. Nicholas Bloom (Stanford) explains: econofact.org/understandin...

Immigration Enforcement in the U.S. | Econofact Chats A discussion with Tara Watson on the role of immigrants in the U.S. labor force, and the economic effects of stepped-up immigration enforcement.

Tara Watson (Brookings) joined EconoFact for an AMA. Listen to an abridged recording of the subscriber-only webinar here: econofact.org/podcast/immi...

Can Heightened Immigration Enforcement Increase Crime? | Econofact A program that increased deportations reduced the likelihood that Hispanic victims would report crimes to the police and increased crime in Hispanic communities

An increased focus on deportations could also reduce police effectiveness if victims of crime become less likely to report incidents to the police out of fear that they or their loved ones could be deported.
econofact.org/can-heighten...