The United States at 250: How the Country Has Changed in the Past 50 Years
Ahead of the nation’s birthday, Pew Research Center identified some prominent trends across key areas of American life: demographics, work, family and economics.
Economy & Work
Sign up for our weekly newsletter
Fresh data delivered Saturday mornings
All
Economy & Work
Publications
-
America’s wealth gap between middle-income and upper-income families is widest on record
The gap between America’s upper-income and middle-income families has reached its highest level on record. In 2013, the median wealth of the nation’s upper-income families ($639,400) was nearly seven times the median wealth of middle-income families ($96,500).
-
Perceptions of Job News Trend Upward
For the first time in at least five years, as many Americans say they are hearing good news as bad news about the nation’s job situation.
-
Do lower gasoline prices make for confident consumers?
Lower gas prices tend to improve consumer sentiment, but the actual impact on the overall economy probably is small.
-
Wealth inequality has widened along racial, ethnic lines since end of Great Recession
The median wealth of white households was 13 times the wealth of black households and 10 times that of Hispanic households in 2013, compared with eight and nine times, respectively, in 2010.
-
6 facts about Japan’s downbeat economy
The world’s third largest economy faces long-term challenges, including pessimistic forecasts from the Japanese public, the hollowing out of Japan’s working-age population and the nation’s exorbitant public debt.
-
Where near-minimum-wage workers work, and how much they make
The restaurant and food service industry is the single biggest employer of near-minimum workers, employing 3.75 million near-minimum workers, about 18% of the total.
-
The up and down seasons of political campaign work
While many political workers already live nomadic lives, given the on-the-job demands of the campaign trail, their employment statuses can be similarly in flux.
