Inequality & Mobility Economic Inequality
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Topic Economic Inequality

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

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Analyzing recent U.S. economic policies using Equitable Growth’s Inequality Tracker

By Austin Clemens,

January 22, 2026

January 22, 2026

Austin Clemens,
Inequality & Mobility
TOPICS: 2
Economic Inequality, GDP 2.0
TOPICS: Economic Inequality, GDP 2.0
In Conversation

In conversation with Sabeel Rahman

By Shayna Strom,

November 18, 2025

November 18, 2025

Shayna Strom,
Inequality & Mobility
TOPICS: 1
Economic Inequality
TOPICS: Economic Inequality
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Accounting for capital gains in income significantly increases U.S. inequality

By Austin Clemens,

July 15, 2025

July 15, 2025

Austin Clemens,
Inequality & MobilityTax & Macroeconomics
TOPICS: 4
Economic Inequality, GDP 2.0, Individual Taxation, Taxes, Inequality & Growth
TOPICS: Economic Inequality, GDP 2.0, Individual Taxation, Taxes, Inequality & Growth
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Americans informed about the distributional effects of Republicans’ tax and budget bill overwhelmingly oppose it

By Jacob Hacker, Patrick Sullivan,

July 3, 2025

July 3, 2025

Jacob Hacker, Patrick Sullivan,
Inequality & MobilityFamiliesTax & Macroeconomics
TOPICS: 5
Economic Inequality, Economic Wellbeing, Fiscal Policy, Health, Taxes, Inequality & Growth
TOPICS: Economic Inequality, Economic Wellbeing, Fiscal Policy, Health, Taxes, Inequality & Growth
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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

By Austin Clemens,

January 17, 2023

January 17, 2023

Austin Clemens,
Inequality & Mobility
TOPICS: 2
Economic Inequality, GDP 2.0
TOPICS: Economic Inequality, GDP 2.0
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Six charts that explain how inequality in the United States changed over the past 20 years

By Austin Clemens,

February 1, 2022

February 1, 2022

Austin Clemens,
Inequality & Mobility
TOPICS: 1
GDP 2.0
TOPICS: GDP 2.0

Explore Content in Economic Inequality828

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What makes a job ‘good’? How U.S. labor market data can provide insight to improve workers’ economic conditions

By Kevin Rinz, Chiara Chanoi,

March 26, 2025

March 26, 2025

Kevin Rinz, Chiara Chanoi,
Inequality & MobilityLabor
TOPICS: 6
Economic Inequality, Economic Mobility, Income & Earnings Volatility, Job Mobility, Minimum Wage, Schedule Stability
TOPICS: Economic Inequality, Economic Mobility, Income & Earnings Volatility, Job Mobility, Minimum Wage, Schedule Stability
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The U.S. House of Representatives’ budget resolution threatens social infrastructure programs, putting families’ well-being at risk

By Priyanka Anand, Robert Moffitt,

March 10, 2025

March 10, 2025

Priyanka Anand, Robert Moffitt,
Inequality & MobilityFamilies
TOPICS: 4
Economic Inequality, Economic Wellbeing, Health, Poverty
TOPICS: Economic Inequality, Economic Wellbeing, Health, Poverty
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Benchmarking the U.S. economy that President Donald Trump is set to inherit

By Ernie Tedeschi,

January 16, 2025

January 16, 2025

Ernie Tedeschi,
Inequality & MobilityTax & Macroeconomics
TOPICS: 3
Economic Inequality, GDP 2.0, Monetary Policy
TOPICS: Economic Inequality, GDP 2.0, Monetary Policy
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Pro-growth tax reform in 2025 would boost the U.S. economy for years to come

By Shayna Strom,

January 15, 2025

January 15, 2025

Shayna Strom,
Tax & MacroeconomicsInequality & Mobility
TOPICS: 4
Business Taxation, Economic Inequality, Individual Taxation, Taxes, Inequality & Growth
TOPICS: Business Taxation, Economic Inequality, Individual Taxation, Taxes, Inequality & Growth
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ASSA 2025 Round-up: Day 3

By Equitable Growth,

January 6, 2025

January 6, 2025

Equitable Growth,
FamiliesInequality & MobilityTax & MacroeconomicsLabor
TOPICS: 8
Childcare & Early Education, Economic Inequality, Economic Wellbeing, Economics of Place, Individual Taxation, Minimum Wage, Race & Ethnicity, Taxes, Inequality & Growth
TOPICS: Childcare & Early Education, Economic Inequality, Economic Wellbeing, Economics of Place, Individual Taxation, Minimum Wage, Race & Ethnicity, Taxes, Inequality & Growth
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ASSA 2025 Round-up: Day 2

By Equitable Growth,

January 5, 2025

January 5, 2025

Equitable Growth,
Tax & MacroeconomicsInequality & MobilityFamilies
TOPICS: 8
Credit & Debt, Economic Inequality, Economic Wellbeing, Gender, Health, Individual Taxation, Post-secondary Education, Taxes, Inequality & Growth
TOPICS: Credit & Debt, Economic Inequality, Economic Wellbeing, Gender, Health, Individual Taxation, Post-secondary Education, Taxes, Inequality & Growth
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ASSA 2025 Round-up: Day 1

By Equitable Growth,

January 4, 2025

January 4, 2025

Equitable Growth,
LaborTax & MacroeconomicsInequality & MobilityFamilies
TOPICS: 6
AI, tech, & the economy, Climate, Economic Inequality, Economic Wellbeing, Minimum Wage, Race & Ethnicity
TOPICS: AI, tech, & the economy, Climate, Economic Inequality, Economic Wellbeing, Minimum Wage, Race & Ethnicity
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Accelerating research can help fill the AI knowledge gaps for U.S. policymakers

By Rohini Kosoglu, Christian Edlagan,

December 17, 2024

December 17, 2024

Rohini Kosoglu, Christian Edlagan,
LaborInequality & Mobility
TOPICS: 2
AI, tech, & the economy, Economic Inequality
TOPICS: AI, tech, & the economy, Economic Inequality
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Recent research shows how paid leave impacts women’s employment and financial security in the United States

By Shira Markoff,

December 13, 2024

December 13, 2024

Shira Markoff,
Inequality & MobilityFamiliesLabor
TOPICS: 5
Economic Inequality, Economic Mobility, Economic Wellbeing, Gender, Paid Leave
TOPICS: Economic Inequality, Economic Mobility, Economic Wellbeing, Gender, Paid Leave
report

Request for Proposals: Promoting competition and supporting workers in an era of AI innovation

By Equitable Growth,

November 20, 2024

November 20, 2024

Equitable Growth,
LaborCompetitionTax & MacroeconomicsFamiliesInequality & Mobility
TOPICS: 33
AI, tech, & the economy, Anticompetitive Conduct, Antitrust Enforcement, Bargaining Power, Business Taxation, Childcare & Early Education, Climate, Concentration, Credit & Debt, Economic Inequality, Economic Mobility, Economic Wellbeing, Economics of Place, Fiscal Policy, GDP 2.0, Gender, Health, Income & Earnings Volatility, Individual Taxation, Job Mobility, K-12, Minimum Wage, Monetary Policy, Monopsony, Paid Leave, Pay Equity, Post-secondary Education, Poverty, Race & Ethnicity, Schedule Stability, Taxes, Inequality & Growth, Unemployment Insurance, Wage Stagnation
TOPICS: AI, tech, & the economy, Anticompetitive Conduct, Antitrust Enforcement, Bargaining Power, Business Taxation, Childcare & Early Education, Climate, Concentration, Credit & Debt, Economic Inequality, Economic Mobility, Economic Wellbeing, Economics of Place, Fiscal Policy, GDP 2.0, Gender, Health, Income & Earnings Volatility, Individual Taxation, Job Mobility, K-12, Minimum Wage, Monetary Policy, Monopsony, Paid Leave, Pay Equity, Post-secondary Education, Poverty, Race & Ethnicity, Schedule Stability, Taxes, Inequality & Growth, Unemployment Insurance, Wage Stagnation
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The U.S. labor market keeps beating projections

By Kevin Rinz,

November 5, 2024

November 5, 2024

Kevin Rinz,
Inequality & MobilityLabor
TOPICS: 2
Economic Inequality, Wage Stagnation
TOPICS: Economic Inequality, Wage Stagnation
report

Request for proposals: Research grants for early career scholars

By Equitable Growth,

October 30, 2024

October 30, 2024

Equitable Growth,
CompetitionLaborTax & MacroeconomicsFamiliesInequality & Mobility
TOPICS: 32
Anticompetitive Conduct, Antitrust Enforcement, Bargaining Power, Business Taxation, Childcare & Early Education, Climate, Concentration, Credit & Debt, Economic Inequality, Economic Mobility, Economic Wellbeing, Economics of Place, Fiscal Policy, GDP 2.0, Gender, Health, Income & Earnings Volatility, Individual Taxation, Job Mobility, K-12, Minimum Wage, Monetary Policy, Monopsony, Paid Leave, Pay Equity, Post-secondary Education, Poverty, Race & Ethnicity, Schedule Stability, Taxes, Inequality & Growth, Unemployment Insurance, Wage Stagnation
TOPICS: Anticompetitive Conduct, Antitrust Enforcement, Bargaining Power, Business Taxation, Childcare & Early Education, Climate, Concentration, Credit & Debt, Economic Inequality, Economic Mobility, Economic Wellbeing, Economics of Place, Fiscal Policy, GDP 2.0, Gender, Health, Income & Earnings Volatility, Individual Taxation, Job Mobility, K-12, Minimum Wage, Monetary Policy, Monopsony, Paid Leave, Pay Equity, Post-secondary Education, Poverty, Race & Ethnicity, Schedule Stability, Taxes, Inequality & Growth, Unemployment Insurance, Wage Stagnation
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