Rakesh Kochhar is a senior researcher at Pew Research Center. He is an expert on trends in employment, income and wealth. His research has focused on the American and global middle classes and the economic well-being of white, black, Hispanic, Asian and immigrant workers. Prior to joining Pew Research Center, he was senior economist at Joel Popkin and Company, where he served as a consultant to government agencies, private firms, international agencies and labor unions. Kochhar received his doctorate in economics from Brown University. He has appeared on numerous media outlets, including NPR, CNN, MSNBC and Fox News. He has testified before Congress and regularly speaks at professional, academic and business conferences.
Rakesh Kochhar
Twitter: rakeshkochhar
Publications
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Despite the pandemic, wage growth held firm for most U.S. workers, with little effect on inequality
Earnings overall have held steady through the pandemic in part because lower-wage workers experienced steeper job losses.
Immigrants in U.S. experienced higher unemployment in the pandemic but have closed the gap
With the economic recovery gaining momentum, unemployment among immigrants is about equal with that of U.S.-born workers.
Are you in the global middle class? Find out with our income calculator
17% of the global population could be considered middle income in 2020. Most people were either low income (51%) or poor (10%).
U.S. labor market inches back from the COVID-19 shock, but recovery is far from complete
Here’s how the COVID-19 recession is affecting labor force participation and unemployment among American workers a year after its onset.
In the pandemic, India’s middle class shrinks and poverty spreads while China sees smaller changes
The course of the pandemic in India and China will have a substantial effect on changes in the distribution of income at the global level.
The Pandemic Stalls Growth in the Global Middle Class, Pushes Poverty Up Sharply
The global middle class consisted of 54 million fewer people in 2020 than the number projected prior to the onset of the pandemic.
Unemployed Americans are feeling the emotional strain of job loss; most have considered changing occupations
About half of U.S. adults who are currently unemployed and are looking for a job are pessimistic about their prospects for future employment.
In the pandemic, the share of unpartnered moms at work fell more sharply than among other parents
The share of unpartnered mothers who are employed and at work has fallen more precipitously than among other parents.
Fewer mothers and fathers in U.S. are working due to COVID-19 downturn; those at work have cut hours
The shares of mothers and fathers who are working have fallen from 2019 to 2020, but the falloff has been comparable for each group.
Are you in the American middle class? Find out with our income calculator
About half of U.S. adults lived in middle-income households in 2018, according to our new analysis of government data.
