Topic Economic Mobility

Economic mobility measures the relationship between a parent and child’s economic outcomes, usually in terms of income. Too often, an individual’s economic outcome in the United States is determined by parental resources, race, and privilege, rather than individual effort and talent. In addition, rising economic inequality over the past several decades means that the consequences of stalled or falling economic mobility have gotten worse. Equitable Growth seeks to understand how today’s inequalities could be foreclosing equality of opportunity for future generations.

Featured work

In Conversation

In Conversation with Miles Corak

Inequality & Mobility
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U.S. economic mobility trends and outcomes

Inequality & Mobility
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Wealth as a driver of income and consumption mobility in the United States

Inequality & MobilityFamilies
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New research suggests that social circles affect upward mobility among U.S. children and young adults

Inequality & Mobility
Vision 2020

Race and the lack of intergenerational economic mobility in the United States

Inequality & MobilityTax & MacroeconomicsLabor
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Factsheet: What the research says about the economic impacts of reproductive care

Inequality & MobilityFamiliesLabor

Explore Content in Economic Mobility386

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School segregation undermines U.S. economic mobility and dynamism

Inequality & MobilityFamilies
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U.S. school segregation in the 21st century

Inequality & MobilityFamilies
Past Event

Vision 2020: Evidence for a Stronger Economy

Inequality & MobilityLabor
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Equitable Growth event highlights Boushey’s new book Unbound about how inequality obstructs, subverts, and distorts economic growth

Inequality & Mobility
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Testimony by Heather Boushey before the House Budget Committee

CompetitionFamiliesInequality & Mobility
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Between exclusion and cumulative advantage: Effects of within-organization mobility on inequality

Inequality & Mobility
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The labor market consequences of ex-offender licensing laws

Inequality & Mobility
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Federal financial aid and postsecondary success for low-income students

Inequality & Mobility
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The effects of employment incentives and cash transfers on parent and child outcomes: Evidence from the long-run effects of welfare reform experiments

Inequality & Mobility
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The Federal Reserve’s new Distributional Financial Accounts provide telling data on growing U.S. wealth and income inequality

Inequality & Mobility
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Extensive nonstandard work hours among U.S. low-income mothers hinder their kids’ enrollment in center-based childcare

FamiliesInequality & MobilityLabor
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The implications of U.S. gender and racial disparities in income and wealth inequality at each stage of the innovation process

CompetitionInequality & MobilityLabor
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