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
Wealth as a driver of income and consumption mobility in the United States
June 7, 2023
June 7, 2023
New research suggests that social circles affect upward mobility among U.S. children and young adults
September 7, 2022
September 7, 2022
Race and the lack of intergenerational economic mobility in the United States
February 18, 2020
February 18, 2020
Factsheet: What the research says about the economic impacts of reproductive care
June 27, 2022
June 27, 2022
Explore Content in Economic Mobility403
New Fed paper suggests it’s not all millennials’ fault after all
December 6, 2018
December 6, 2018
Investments in early childhood education improve outcomes for program participants—and perhaps other children too
December 4, 2018
December 4, 2018
How job-matching technologies can build a fairer and more efficient U.S. labor market
November 15, 2018
November 15, 2018
Equitable Growth releases 2019 Request for Proposals
November 8, 2018
November 8, 2018
Connecting the Dots Between Poverty, Inequality, and Mobility
October 11, 2018 7:00PM - October 12, 2018 5:00PM
Gerrymandered school districts perpetuate segregation by keeping low-income students out, which is bad for economic growth
October 19, 2018
October 19, 2018
Equitable Growth hosts the 2nd Grantee Conference
October 3, 2018
October 3, 2018
Using linked Census data to examine occupation mobility in the United States
July 25, 2018
July 25, 2018
Parental resources and the career choices of young workers
July 25, 2018
July 25, 2018
What works and what workers try: Social mobility paths beyond the bachelor’s degree and the impact of racialized inequality
July 25, 2018
July 25, 2018
Economic impacts of mentoring for disadvantaged youth: RCT evidence
July 25, 2018
July 25, 2018
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