Housing
Rental Affordability Metrics
When policymakers talk about "affordable housing," they are usually using a very specific, and often flawed, metric.
Blog
Cost of Living
Transportation Cost Burdens
Transportation is the second-largest household expense after housing, yet it is often treated as an afterthought in economic policy.
Social Safety Net
The Front Door in a Typical County
To understand the social safety net, you have to look at it from the perspective of the person trying to use it.
Income
The Role of Benefits in Total Compensation
When we talk about wages, we usually talk about the number on the paycheck.
Politics
Ideologies Left to Right, from Communism to Fascism
Professor Keith St. Clair from Grand Rapids Community College provides a comprehensive exploration of political ideologies, focusing on their philosophical underpinnings, historical roots, and…
Videos
How to Argue with Conspiracy Theorists (And Win)
This video explores the complex world of conspiracy theories, examining what they are, why they appeal even to reasonable people, and how to effectively…
Jobs
How Local Workforce Systems Operate
When a region wants to attract a new factory or tech hub, the first thing they promise is a "skilled workforce." To deliver on…
Corporate Power
Measuring Corporate Concentration
To understand corporate power, we have to measure it.
Housing
Neighborhood Change and Path Dependence
The neighborhood you live in dictates your life expectancy, your educational outcomes, and your economic mobility.
Cost of Living
The Squeeze on Middle and Lower Incomes
For decades, the American promise was simple: if you work hard, you will get ahead.
Social Safety Net
Take-Up Rates and Barriers
Just because a safety net program exists on paper does not mean the people who need it actually receive it.
Income
Taxes, Transfers, and Take-Home Resources
What you earn is not what you get to keep.