Between the COVID-19 pandemic, more intense hurricanes, and ongoing wildfires impacting the western U.S., first responders are being challenged more than ever. While first responders are on the front lines during emergencies and face more danger than most people do in their occupations, they don’t earn much more. According to data from the Bureau of

Pent-up demand from the pandemic, low interest rates, and a shortage of properties have created a booming housing market with near record levels of refinance activity. While typical home values have increased by 15% from a year ago, the housing market is expected to stay hot in many cities through the end of the year

The expiration of the CDC’s national eviction moratorium on July 31 brought new attention to how the pandemic has put pressure on the housing market. With the expiration of the moratorium, millions of renters now face the possibility of eviction from overdue rent payments, after being protected from displacement for more than a year due

Since 2012, student loans have had the highest delinquency rate of any form of consumer debt. And while recent data from the New York Fed suggests that student loan delinquency rates have declined during COVID-19 pandemic, this data actually reflects the effect of government forbearance programs. While a large share of student loans are currently

Since its peak in 1979, manufacturing employment in the U.S. has been on the decline, accelerating sharply around the turn of the century. Despite modest gains since 2010, the number of manufacturing jobs remains far below previous levels. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), manufacturing accounted for more than 13

The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a surge in geographic mobility. According to Pew Research Center, 22 percent of adults in the U.S. have relocated during the pandemic or know someone who did. Interestingly, this reverses a longstanding trend in which Americans were staying put. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that prior to COVID-19, Americans

According to a recent Pew Research Center report, children in the United States are more likely to live in a single-parent household than children in at least 129 other countries, including China, India, and all of Europe. Maintaining a household as a single parent presents a number of challenges, the largest of which for many

With fall nearly here, schools across the country are solidifying their reopening plans amidst the pandemic. Teachers are becoming the new frontline workers, and with the virus resurging in many communities, a majority of teachers are worried about exposure to COVID-19 while on the job. Nationally, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that median annual

As the fall quickly approaches, schools around the country are grappling with the best way to operate safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many school districts will start the year virtually, while others will open with a hybrid approach that combines face-to-face instruction with online learning. Even in areas where schools are open fully, many families

With the end of the year approaching, Americans are beginning to turn their attention towards tax season. In addition to $3.3 trillion in federal taxes, last year Americans paid $950.5 billion in state taxes distributed across sales, income, property, license, and other taxes. Across all states, sales and gross receipts taxes were the largest source of state