Economic inequality is the unequal distribution of income and wealth and it has been rising in the United States in recent decades. Questions about whether and how this rise in inequality affects economic growth and stability are fundamental to Equitable Growth’s work, which explores how economic inequality impacts individuals and families across a wide range of issues, and what policies might address these challenges.
Featured work
U.S. income and wealth inequality are no longer increasing, but a return to the equitable levels of the mid-20th century isn’t likely anytime soon
January 17, 2023
January 17, 2023
A review of federal lending to small business owners of color during the COVID-19 pandemic
December 13, 2022
December 13, 2022
Why the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is good economics
June 30, 2022
June 30, 2022
Six charts that explain how inequality in the United States changed over the past 20 years
February 1, 2022
February 1, 2022
The logistics of a reparations program in the United States
February 18, 2020
February 18, 2020
Explore Content in Economic Inequality758
The political implications of bad jobs and the decline of unions
May 13, 2025
May 13, 2025
Federal and state governments can help solve the employment problems of people in distressed places to spur equitable growth
May 13, 2025
May 13, 2025
More accurately measuring economic sentiment will help build a U.S. economy—and democracy—that works for all
May 13, 2025
May 13, 2025
How the China trade shock impacted U.S. manufacturing workers and labor markets, and the consequences for U.S. politics
May 13, 2025
May 13, 2025
Understanding the role of immigration and economic factors in boosting support for far-right political parties
May 13, 2025
May 13, 2025
America’s job-quality crisis and how to revive workers’ pay, dignity, job advancement, and economic well-being
May 13, 2025
May 13, 2025
Testimony by Michael Linden before the House Budget Committee
May 8, 2025
May 8, 2025
Designing economic policy that strengthens U.S. democracy and incorporates people’s lived experiences
April 30, 2025
April 30, 2025
Advancing economic research on the Inflation Reduction Act: Q&A with Heather Boushey
April 23, 2025
April 23, 2025
Improving economic outcomes for single mothers and their children across the United States
April 16, 2025
April 16, 2025
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