Social and Community Reports

Shifting dynamics: The rising tide of employment among black men – 02/10/2025

In commemoration of Black History Month 2025, we focus on recent labor market developments in the Black & African American community. Notably, employment of Black Men has grown strongly since the economy bottomed in 2020, and they generally have moved into higher paying jobs over that period. That said, gaps still remain with national averages, which likely will take structural changes to close.

Progress underway in narrowing Native American income gap – 11/04/2024

The chronic shortfall of household income in the Native American community relative to the national average reflects, at least in part, labor market conditions that tend to be less robust for many indigenous people than for other Americans. Although there are numerous reasons why some Native Americans struggle to find well-paying employment opportunities, we have focused on three causes: geographical isolation, lower levels of educational attainment and capital scarcity for Native-owned businesses.

Are we prepared? Military families face financial strain – 11/01/2024

In a report we wrote last November in commemoration of Veterans & Military Families Month, we found that household income among active-duty military families has lagged behind household income in the civilian sector for more than a decade. Elevated rates of joblessness and under-employment among military spouses is a major reason for the widening income gap. The squeeze in real household income in recent years has led to an increasing amount of financial stress among military families. Not only does the financial stress suffered by some military families represent a humanitarian issue, but it could have potential negative consequences for national security. If the armed services are not able to recruit and retain service members, military preparedness could be negatively affected in coming years.

A (labor) force to be reckoned with: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month – 09/12/2024

The unsettled debate about whether the Federal Reserve can fully corral inflation without ending the current expansion has pushed the U.S. potential rate of GDP growth, or the rate at which the economy can expand at a constant rate of inflation, back into the spotlight. Labor force growth is a major determinant of an economy's potential growth rate. As labor force growth strengthens, it becomes easier for businesses to find workers to grow and expand. Yet as population growth has slowed in recent decades and is projected to downshift further, one group stands out for its contribution to labor force growth: the Hispanic and Latino community.

Can’t grow old without her – 03/05/2024

The rapid aging of the U.S. population is quickly driving up the need for eldercare. Rising demand for eldercare, which is often met with unpaid care, stands to strain labor force growth at a time growth in the working-age population is already set to slow. But the need to care for aging loved ones is also poised to alter the composition of paid employment. Perhaps not surprisingly, women shoulder a disproportionate share of unpaid care responsibilities but also play an outsized role in providing paid care. As the population rapidly ages, it won't be able to do so gracefully without her.

Black borrowers face mounting student loan debt – 02/01/2024

Rising educational attainment has helped to narrow the gaps in income and wealth between Black households and national medians. But Black households have relied more on student loans to finance higher education. Elevated levels of student loan debt and/or payment delinquency threaten to erode the pecuniary gains that Black households have made in recent years.

Beyond the call of duty: Lagging military family income — 11/01/2023

In commemoration of Veterans & Military Families Month, we focus on the economic and financial situation of military families. We find that military household income has not kept pace with civilian household income over the past decade. This report highlights some underlying causes of this gap.

Bridging the gap: The economic progress of Hispanic Americans – 09/15/2023

To commemorate National Hispanic Heritage Month, we take a look at recent trends in employment, income and wealth in the Hispanic community. Hispanics currently lag national averages in terms of income, wealth and business ownership, but these gaps are closing.

Overcoming challenges in the disabled community – 06/30/2023

To commemorate the 33rd anniversary of the ADA and to honor the 41 million U.S. residents with a disability, this report highlights some economic characteristics of the disabled community and the progress disabled individuals have made in overcoming some of the challenges they face.

The "secret sauce": The LGBTQ+ community & state economic growth rates – 06/01/2023

What, if any, effect do concentrations of LGBT individuals have on state economic growth rates? The analysis we conducted this year to commemorate Pride Month finds that states with higher proportions of LGBT individuals enjoyed stronger rates of economic growth in 2010-2019, everything else equal.

Earth, wind & complier – 04/20/2023

The clean-energy transition is slow moving, but it's happening. To commemorate Earth Day 2023, we detail how proposed regulatory changes and recent legislation is incentivizing businesses to invest in clean-energy initiatives. That will come with changes across the supply chain and could support domestic production, adding to the recent retreat in globalization.

Party of one – 03/08/2023

Single women are a growing share of the U.S. population and an increasingly important source of labor at a time employers are struggling to hire. However, single women continue to lag men in terms of pay, which is restraining current spending and making it more difficult to build wealth.

Gaining economic & financial ground in the Black community since COVID – 02/02/2023

The COVID pandemic imparted a significant shock to the U.S. economy, and the aftereffects of that shock and the associated policy response are still reverberating throughout the economy. Is the country's Black and African American community better off economically and financially relative to February 2020?

The labor market remains solid for America's vets – 11/10/2022

In a follow-up to a report we wrote last November to coincide with Veterans and Military Families Month, we focus on labor market characteristics of the nation's working-age vets.

Falling unemployment in the Native American community: Here to stay? – 11/01/2022

The jobless rate among Native Americans spiked when the economy shut down in early 2020, but it has subsequently receded to its pre-pandemic lows. Will these gains be lost if, as we expect, the U.S. economy falls into recession in 2023?

Bump in the road: What a potential U.S. recession means for Hispanic workers – 09/15/2022 

If, as we expect, the U.S. economy slips into a modest recession in 2023, then the relative gains that Hispanic workers have enjoyed over the past few years could experience a temporary setback. That said, Hispanic and Latinx individuals will continue to be a critical source of labor for the U.S. economy in coming years.

The growing economic influence of the LGBTQ+ community - 06/01/2022  

In commemoration of Pride Month, which has been celebrated in some manner since 1970, we highlight some notable economic characteristics of the LGBTQ+ community at present. In short, the economic influence of the community should continue to grow in coming years.

Diversity & inclusion: A tale of two economies part III - 05/24/2022  

We take a deeper dive into the implications of long-term unemployment and conduct scenario analysis. Does the Black or African American unemployment rate's slower pace of recovery have implications for the national labor market?

Shining a light on the rising economic potential of AAPI small business - 05/05/2022  

In commemoration of AAPI Heritage Month, we highlight some of the economic contributions of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community with a focus on AAPI-owned small businesses, as May is also Small Business Month.

Diversity & inclusion: A tale of two economies part II - 04/18/2022  

We analyze the unemployment recoveries of the past three business cycles to gain a cleaner read on how different communities have experienced and recovered from recessions over time.

Factors to consider for a net zero carbon economy – 04/13/2022

To commemorate Earth Day 2022, we put the current state of greenhouse gas emissions into context and consider the big-picture economic implications of a transition to a net zero carbon future.

Diversity & Inclusion: A tale of two economies part I – 04/05/2022 

We introduce an approach to analyzing the unemployment recovery across different communities based on race/ethnicity and gender and measure the economic damages from the COVID recession.

Who cares? – 03/01/2022 

The pandemic laid bare the importance of childcare to the U.S. workforce as millions of school-age children shifted to remote learning, but it also amplified the cracks in an already thin and fragile care system for young children.

Economic resiliency and progress in the Black and African American community – 02/01/2022 

In commemoration of Black History Month, this report looks at some of the economic accomplishments that the Black and African American community has achieved despite obstacles that it faces.

Inflation: same storm, different boats – 01/31/2022 

The strongest inflation in nearly 40 years is presenting a significant challenge to all American households, but some consumers are being hit harder than others.